Noticeably colder than normal temperatures came early to Wisconsin, making it a rough night for a 59 year old woman who lost her way while hiking in the Baxter Hollow Preserve in the Town of Sumpter, Sauk County on Saturday, October 10. The Civil Air Patrol (CAP), called into action by the Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) early Sunday morning (October 11), found the woman alive.

The 36 members of CAP knew their mission was urgent to find this unfortunate woman as the temperatures had dipped down into the mid-20’s during the night. She was not properly dressed for such low temperatures, nor did she have any food or water with her.

However, the hiker had her working cell phone with her and had alerted the Sauk County Sheriff’s Department at approximately 7:40pm Saturday evening that she had become lost and needed assistance. Other county sheriff’s departments were called in along with a canine unit and firefighters to help search for the lost woman until approximately 3:30am when all searchers were called in from the wooded area.

By this time, WEM had contacted CAP to ask for their assistance in the search. Here is where 29 ground team members, one CAP aircraft with a two man crew, and the Mobile Command Center with its five mission base staff members, sprang into action.

According to Lt Col Peter Fabian, the incident commander for this search and rescue, “The hilly terrain with choked vegetation made the search physically demanding with limited visibility.” He further stated “it also complicated GPS and radio use with a heavy canopy overhead.” The significant iron deposits in the hills complicated matters as well as it affected compass readings that the ground team used.

In spite of the obstacles, these ground teams were well trained and used their whistles to alert the lost woman of her coming rescuers. She had heard the whistles long before she heard their voices. Once again her cell phone had played a crutial part in finding her as they were able to locate her by using the coordinates from her cell phone and relaying that information to the ground teams.

A little over two miles into the woods and 90 minutes later, she was found by one of the CAP ground teams. Though she was cold and needed some assistance in getting up from the cold, damp ground, she was unhurt, awake, and alert, and extremely happy to see her rescuers there. The ground team immediately gave her hot coffee and hot chocolate to drink, along with plenty of water, and an energy bar. They wrapped her in a “space blanket” to keep her body heat trapped next to her and one of the ground team members also gave her his coat to wrap around the space blanket.

It took two hours to lead her out of the woods by the CAP ground team where she was assessed by the waiting ambulance team and released into the arms of her waiting and very thankful husband.

The members of CAP came from the Col Sac, Eau Claire, La Crosse, 153rd Madison, Ozaukee,Timmerman and Walco Squadrons and group and wing staff.

Other key players in this successful search and rescue were the Salvation Army who provided food for the rescuers and the rescued; Sauk Ambulance who was on hand to make sure she was not physically hurt after being out all night in the cold; the Sauk County Sheriff’s Department who aided by keeping hunters out of the search zone with road blocks (yes, it is hunting season in Wisconsin); and a Wisconsin State Patrol aircraft.

Sauk County officials have become a huge fan of the Civil Air Patrol since the flooding of 2008. They were impressed with the training and professional manner of its members. We train more than we go out on missions, and though one does not hope for missions, it is rewarding when one ends on a successful note.

Picture taken by:  The Sauk Ambulance EMT.

Pictured:  The hiker and her husband (center of photo), The Civil Air Patrol participants, and the Salvation Army personnel (in the red sweatshirts). 

Cadets from the Stevens Point Composite Squadron were given the chance to sing for their supper during the Korean War Veterans’ reunion held Saturday evening, September 12 in Weston, WI. 

Performing to a packed banquet hall at the Fairfield Inn were the self-titled “Von CAP family singers:” C/1Lt. Steven Lang, C/1Lt. Mark Flage, C/2Lt. Robert Kulp. C/CMSgt Joel Flage, C/SMSgt Trevor Beaty, C/SMSgt, and C/AB Daniel Flage. 

Earlier that day, the cadets had been locating an ELT during a ground team practice mission.  A few hours later, they were out of the BDUs and into their blues, ready to team up their voices in song.

The group performed four patriotic songs as part of the after-dinner program.  Their selections were “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” “America the Beautiful,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and “God Bless America.” 

Following their musical presentation was a presentation by LTC Mitchell Shelton, U.S. Army (ret.) on his life and military service.

This was the 22nd year of the Korean War Vets reunion.  Each year the reunion is held in a different city.  This year’s hosts were LTC Charles E. Toole, U.S. Army (ret.), and his wife Jan Toole. 

There were 101 people in attendance, including 54 veterans who had served in Korea between 1950 and 1954.  Some of those veterans had also served in World War II and/or Vietnam. 

For many people at the banquet, this was their first introduction to Civil Air Patrol. Cadets scattered amongst the attendees during dinner shared the missions of CAP.

According to Jan Toole, she received many compliments on the Cadet singers, both on their singing and their comportment.  “If only there were more young people of that type,” was the comment she heard repeated by those attending the banquet. 

Milwaukee's Timmerman Airfield was abuzz with activity on September 19 when it played host to the Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Open House. 10th Senior Support Squadron hosted the event with the assistance of the Timmerman Composite Squadron.

The open house was geared towards bringing in members of the community to learn about CAP and its mission of Aerospace Education. Eleven of CAP’s aircraft from around the state flew to Milwaukee to showcase one of CAP’s largest assets including a Cessna 182, Gippsland GA-8 Airvan, and an historic CAP Piper J3 Cub. A local news helicopter from WISN-12 as well as other light aircraft was also on display.

The public was able to view displays on air traffic and aerodynamics, build and launch pneumatic rockets, and get a chance to talk to volunteers about their experiences with the organization. Being able to tour the Timmerman tower was a treat that is not often available to the general public. 

A highlight of the day-long event was the EAA's Young Eagles program. They provided 42 free introductory flights to the youngsters that were present. The program helps spur on the desire to learn more about aviation and to get children interested in learning to fly. Without this program, many children would never have the opportunity to fly.

Onsite training was also held including an FAA safety seminar, CAP aircraft maintenance seminar, and a CFI/Check Pilot class.

Former Racine Composite Squadron member, Thomas “Christopher” Hagner, age 32, was killed last Sunday in a helicopter crash outside Forest Grove, Oregon. Hagner, a licensed helicopter pilot, was taking instruction to become an instructor pilot in an R22 helicopter when the crash occurred. Hagner and his instructor pilot, Douglas Doty, were killed when the helicopter crashed and exploded in a farm field shortly after 1pm on Sunday, September 20th. The cause of the crash is unknown.

Hagner and his wife were living in Hillsboro, Oregon. He was employed by US Airways and was working on becoming a helicopter instructor, a dream since his cadet days in CAP. Hagner is survived by his wife, Holly, brother Matthew (also a former cadet), sister-in-law Kim, sisters Cheryl, and Beth and their families, as well as his mother Judy Sorenson, and father Thomas Hagner. A private memorial service will be held in Racine next week.

C/Lt Col Hagner was the cadet commander at Racine Composite Squadron in the mid 1990’s and was active in the squadron for many years. Along with his brother he was a trombone player in the jazz band at Park High School in Racine. His sharp wit, bright red hair, and 6’4” height made him unforgettable. He will be missed by all those who knew him.

A flight scholarship may be established in his name. More details will follow thru this website or Wing-info or you may contact Lt Col Jo Stys.

A memorial service is planned for Thursday, October 1st, at 4:30 pm at St. John's Chapel in the DeKoven Center, 600 21st Street, Racine. 

As if to prove that technology tends to come full circle, the Air Force is now using piloted aircraft as simulators to train pilots of UAVs. "We're using a manned aircraft to simulate an unmanned aircraft," said CAP-U.S. Air Force Commander Col. Bill Ward. The Air Force has installed a "Predator Ball" under the wing of a CAP Cessna 182, giving the four-place single the ability to pretend it's a Predator or Reaper UAV ready to mix it up with insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. All the actual UAVs are busy doing that and that's left a "critical training gap" for Army and Marine personnel learning how to use the drones. "The Surrogate Predator (as the CAP 182 is known) is the solution," said Maj. Matt Martin, chief of the Predator/Reaper Ops Branch of Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va.

With the pod in place, the 182 has the "capability of locking onto a target and tracking it" a CAP news release says. But since the Cessna lacks any other refinements, it's role is that of camera platform, using the pod to stream live video to the trainees as they sort out their battlefield priorities. There will, of course, be extra training required to teach CAP pilots how to make their aircraft behave appropriately."Basically, we will imitate being a Predator," said CAP Capt. David Lewis, one of six pilots initially selected for training. Assuming it all goes well, Lewis says mimicking UAVs will be "the next big thing for CAP in homeland security and the defense of our country.

AVweb is the World's Premier Independent Aviation News Resource

Go to:  http://www.capvolunteernow.com/ to read an article by Civil Air Patrol, National Headquarters for further details.

Former Wisconsin Wing Commander, Colonel Lawrence W. Stys, was awarded the Distinguished Service Award at the National Conference in San Antonio, last week during televised ceremonies before the audience and thru live streaming video available to the entire membership of Civil Air Patrol.

Col Stys joined CAP as a cadet in Milwaukee Composite Squadron #5 in February 1966, and has had 43 years of continuous volunteer service to CAP. He was the Wisconsin Wing Commander from 1994-1998.

Still active with the 10th Senior Support Squadron, Col Stys finds time to act as a Mission Pilot and Check Pilot, supports both the National Flight Academy (Oshkosh) and the Minnesota Wing Flight Academy. He soled two cadets this past summer at Mankato, MN. During this year’s Minnesota Wing Flight Academy he celebrated his 40th anniversary as a pilot, having received his pilot wings from Civil Air Patrol’s Powered Flight School in Norman, OK, on July 20th, 1969, the same day Colonel Armstrong first set foot on the moon.

Col Stys came into the Inspector General Program as the Wisconsin Wing IG in April 2002. Shortly after becoming the CAP-IG, Col William Charles invited Col Stys on to the staff of the Civil Air Patrol IG program as the Inspector General for Training (CAP-IGT). This position continued through Col Charles’s term, the subsequent term of Col Linker, and into the present.

During the period April 2002 to August 2009 Col Stys as CAP-IGT:

• Served as the Director of the IG College in 2004, 2006, and 2008.

• At the direction of Col Linker, Col Stys performed a top-down remodeling of the IG College to bring innovative scenario-based instruction to the preparation of new Inspectors General for the CAP.

• Re-designed the IG Senior Level Course, creating a foundation program for the formation of new IGs at all levels of the CAP again using scenario-based instruction. He has taught four new instructors for the program and has himself taught the course himself fourteen times in twelve different wings.

• Created the technician level IG Basic Course for the CAP IG program

• Revised the Inspector General Specialty Track to reflect all the new requirements for IGs in the CAP

• Working with Col Aye, Kansas Wing CC, and Mr. Ron Olienyk, NHQ, has brought to the IG Basic Course the first opportunity for CAP members to use the new “Enterprise Suite” on Blackboard Learn 

• Also serves as a Compliance Inspection team member in all three areas (Team Chief, Operations, and Mission Support) having participated in one capacity or another on seventeen CIs.

• At the request of the CAP-IG, Col Stys has reviewed a number of cases, including cases at the National level

• Served on the “Tiger Team” that designed the “Organizational Excellence Specialty Track” for the CAP. Col Stys was primarily tasked with writing the Technician level for the new specialty track in collaboration with the other members of the team.

It should be noted that during the period April 2002 to April 2009 over 150 students attended the IG Colleges.