Civil Air Patrol, Alaska Wing Magazine, February 2026

Bounce Back

Character Development

March Lesson

By. Maj. Julie G. Rivera Mercado

True integrity is not defined by the total absence of mistakes, but by the ability to recognize when we have strayed from our core values and choose to return to them with greater conviction. Often, when we fail our own standards, the natural reaction is shame or justification, which can lead to a cycle of defeatism where we believe a single mistake defines us forever. However, the concept of "Bounce Back" teaches us that failure is not a permanent state, but rather an opportunity to reaffirm our moral identity and transform a negative experience into the fuel necessary to forge a more solid and resilient character.

The process of recovery demands deep honesty and the courage to admit our weaknesses to ourselves and to others. Much like leaders facing extreme situations, learning to "Bounce Back" involves resisting external pressures as much as possible, but also knowing how to restore personal honor after a fall. This restoration does not happen in isolation; the support of peers and the ability to share our failures are crucial elements that allow us to free ourselves from the weight of regret and regain the self-esteem necessary to continue leading effectively.

Ultimately, choosing the path of resilience allows us to stop seeing ourselves as victims of circumstance and become protagonists of our own evolution. Every time we decide to get back up after an ethical or personal stumble, we send a powerful message about our capacity for change and continuous improvement. By internalizing that a mistake does not make us a failure, we develop the mental strength to face future challenges with intelligence and renewed resolve, becoming the principled leaders that our environment requires.

CyberPatriot State Championship

Alaska Wing Cadet Advisory Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

by Capt. Timothy Cole, Squadron Commander, Kenai Composite Squadron.

Kenai Composite Squadron Cadets

Earn First-Ever CyberPatriot State Championship

Kenai, Alaska — The Kenai Composite Squadron of the Alaska Wing, Civil Air Patrol (CAP), is proud to announce that its first-ever team to compete in the Air & Space Forces Association’s CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition has earned 1st Place Overall at the State Level of Alaska.

Competing in the All Service Division at the High School level, the Kenai Composite Squadron team achieved the top score in Alaska—despite being composed of both high school and middle school–aged cadets. This milestone marks a significant achievement for the squadron and highlights the growing strength of cyber education opportunities for youth on the Kenai Peninsula.

Team Members:

The team represented a diverse cross-section of the local community, with cadets hailing from Sterling, Soldotna, Kenai, and Nikiski, Alaska, and enrolled in public, private, and homeschool programs.

Cadet First Lieutenant Jacob Ries

Cadet Second Lieutenant Declan

Cobb

Cadet Staff Sergeant Landen McGahan

Cadet Senior Airman Erik McBride

Cadet Senior Airman Tayla Cole

The team was coached by Captain Timothy Cole, Squadron Commander of the Kenai Composite Squadron, with technical mentorship and cyber defense instruction provided by Mr. Jason Kirby, who served as the team’s primary cyber security mentor.

https://www.peninsulaclarion.com/2026/02/13/kenai-peninsula-students-win-cyber-defense-competition/

CyberPatriot (www.uscyberpatriot. org) is a national youth cyber defense competition designed to inspire students toward careers in cyber security and other STEM fields. Competitors are trained to secure and protect computer networks from cyber attacks; no hacking techniques are taught or practiced as part of the competition.

The cadets began training in early fall and competed in multiple official rounds held on four-hour sessions on Saturdays during the months of October, November, and December. While this was the squadron’s first year participating—and despite earning the highest score in the state—the team did not qualify for the national semi-finals, which are reserved for the top 30% of teams nationwide, nor for the National Finals in Baltimore, Maryland, scheduled for March 2026, which include only the top 1% of teams.

The scale of the competition underscores the team’s accomplishment. Nationally,

CyberPatriot included 4,787 teams, consisting of:

623 Middle School Division teams

1,349 All Service Division teams

2,824 Open Division teams

“This achievement speaks volumes about the dedication, teamwork, and technical skill of our cadets,” said Capt. Timothy Cole. “For a firstyear team to earn first place in the state—while competing above their age level—is something our entire community can be proud of.”

The Kenai Composite Squadron continues to expand opportunities for youth leadership, aerospace education, emergency services, and cyber security training as part of the U.S. Air Force auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol.

For more information about the Kenai Composite Squadron or Civil Air Patrol programs, please visit gocivilairpatrol. com.

Team Photograph Attached. Photo credit goes to Nickolas Torres, who has given complete permission for its use.

https://www.peninsulaclarion.com/2026/02/13/kenai-peninsula-students-win-cyber-defense-competition/

Alaska Wing Cadet Advisory Council

The Alaska Wing Cadet Advisory Council (CAC) is preparing its 2025–2026 midterm report to the Wing Commander. Under the leadership of C/Lt Col Rick Benedict, the council has established four primary committees and directed each to develop measurable goals, defined implementation plans, and formal presentations for review. During the first two meetings, the CAC established its four primary committees and defined their responsibilities. In recent meetings, committees have identified priorities and began developing plans to meet CAC goals. Each committee will present at least five goals, supporting plans of action, and designated cadet briefers for the midterm review.

C/SMSgt Cage Klayum leads the Cadet Opportunities Committee. The committee promotes volunteer service, Civil Air Patrol (CAP) fundraising, and scholarships of several different fields across Alaska Wing. Members are developing wing-wide fundraising concepts and training opportunities for color guard teams attending cadet competitions. The committee will present finalized proposals to the CAC for review.

defined objectives and implementation strategies at the upcoming CAC session.

C/1st Lt Keena Bennet leads the Cadet Program Awards and Qualifications Committee. The committee supports cadets working toward specialty ratings and mastery awards within CAP, including Ground Team Member and Rocketry badges. Members are identifying qualified instructors and training locations while evaluating an online hub to connect cadets with available resources.

C/Maj Thomas Clifton leads the Flight Programs Committee. The committee informs and supports cadets pursuing aerospace education and flight-related training opportunities within CAP. Members are finalizing term goals and will present

C/2d Lt Christian Yew leads the Communications Committee. The committee works to improve communication across Alaska Wing and evaluate the reach and effectiveness of the Alaska Wing magazine. Current initiatives include generating magazine content, assisting new cadets with CAP email access, and highlighting cadet and senior member achievements. Lt Col Bryan Emerson, a senior member involved in producing the wing magazine, continues to advise the committee.

The CAC will brief the Wing Commander, Col Derk MacPherson, on committee goals, projected outcomes, and recommended improvements to wing operations. The council continues to develop actionable solutions that enhance cadet development and strengthen mission execution in direct support of Civil Air Patrol’s Cadet Programs and Aerospace Education missions across Alaska Wing.

Homer

By SM Laurie Gentle

The Cadets of the Homer Squadron concepted and designed new heraldry for use on PT and volunteer apparel.

The sweatshirts for the Cadets were generously funded by the Kachemak Homer Rotary and are very proudly worn.

by Capt Richard Dennis, PAO

On 26 January 2026, Cadet Kara Basye was promoted to the rank of C/TSgt. Cadet Basye is the ranking Cadet in Tok Composite Squadron and serves as our Cadet Advisory Council representative. Her completion of Achievement 4 in Phase II of the Cadet Program represents another step toward becoming a leader in our community and nation. Achievement 4 is named after Captain Eddie Rickenbacker — America’s Ace of Aces in WW1.

Arcturus

During January, the Arcturus Squadron cadets had difficulties attending meetings due to freezing rain and heavy snow fall but still persisted and strove towards excellence. During a meeting, C/Maj Buller teached about Chapter 6: Brain Power Leadership.The Cyber Patriot team also fought strong but sadly did not qualify for regionals. There is also a leadership change coming up soon. Finally the Arcturus squadron is preparing for the upcoming Wing Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX).

By : Maj. Jan Bobek Photographer: C/1stLt Jacob Ries

Every Monday from 6:30 to 8:30 Kenai Cadets provide: Aerospace, Leadership, Health Fitness Zone/Safety, and Character Development Presentations. The presentations are perfect. Public speaking is a fear that many people have, so working on it builds strength in all areas of life. Cadets practice to reduce this universal fear. The Cadets are determined to work hard so that public speaking becomes something to look forward to. Senior members appreciate and support Cadet progress. Cadets become more confident the more they practice public speaking. This process includes the CORE Values of Integrity, Volunteer Service, Excellence and Respect. Cadets continue to advance in personal development. The Cadet Program supports the process of becoming the best person one can be. The Cadets even begin to enjoy the process as proven by the results, and they volunteer to public speak much more. When they conquer their fears, they become stronger and more confident. Cadets realize that they can achieve just about anything! The process makes each cadet a stronger human being.

Orientation flights are provided which helps to keep cadets involved in the cadet program. Flying builds confidence in all areas of their lives. They study and work very hard to meet their life goals. They become safe pilots and join the military or make aviation their life’s work. Senior members are proof of this. Learning to fly is an

integral and crucial part of the Cadet Program. Cadets who received Orientation flights are: C/ Amn Cole Matthews, C/Amn Shane Matthews, C/Amn Sophia Moyer, C/Amn Everett Lewis, C/ Amn Elizabeth Moyer and, C/Amn Riley Lewis. These Orientation flights were provided by the EAA Young Eagles Program. We’re very thankful for that program.

Cadets volunteered at the Kenai Senior Center on Saturday January 30th. It was the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. The room was crowded with volunteers and families, and friends. The

Cadets who participated were: C/TSgt Maddy Ries, C/Capt Thomas Anthony, C/SrA Isaac Wohlers, C/SSgt Landen McGahan, C/CMSgt Victor Henderson and C/CMSgt Elodie Frisk. Major Jan Bobek accompanied the Cadets. They C/Capt Thomas Anthony

worked hard all afternoon. They received a lot of compliments because they were so hard working and displayed positive attitudes. As usual, we’re very proud of them.

C/CMSgt Elodie Frisk and C/SMSgt Madeline Ries

C/SSgt Landen McGahan

C/SrA Isaac Wohlers

C/SSgt Landen McGahan

C/SMSgt Madeline Ries

C/Capt Thomas Anthony

C/SrA Isaac Wohlers

C/CMSgt Elodie Frisk

C/MSgt Victor Henderson

C/SSgt Landen McGahan

CONG TULATION

Cadets worked very hard and passed many achievements recently.

Achievement 1:

C/Amn Isaac Wohlers

C/Amn Tayla Cole.

Achievement 3:

C/SrA Holden Kenner

Achievement 4:

C/TSgt Amelia Ries

Achievement 5:

C/MSgt Hadassah Schwartz

Achievement 7:

C/CMSgt Victor Henderson

Achievement 9:

C/2dLt Joshua Lattin.

We’re very proud of all the excellent effort to advance in the program.

Joining CAP makes a positive difference in our community. We’re proud to have these cadets in the Kenai Squadron. All cadets are working hard, setting a good example in our community, and supporting each other in continuing to practice the Core Values. The world is a much better place with these young cadets in it. Our cadets continue to make America strong. They are trustworthy people. We are very proud of them.

During the month of January the Valdez Composite Squadron held their usual weekly meetings. Valdez Squadron meets every Tuesday between 1900-2100 at the city airport.

Valdez did not have much going on this month, but we did have some big exercises!

Big exercise #1:

On January 17 they held a pool activity to work on water rescues and the proper way to throw a throw bag. One of the ways they learned to help someone is the reach method where they either stuck a hand or foot out to the person in need. After many attempts of throwing they got it down and were throwing to moving targets to simulate a moving river! By the end they exceeded their goals with everyone getting multiple turns throwing and reaching.

Big exercise #2:

On January 31 the squadron… a small portion of the squadron met at the airport and convoyed to the Civil Air Patrol hanger. Once at the hanger they got to work!

This was the: 20 Seconds More v. 1.5 exercise!

Lt Col McIntyre setting “down” the antenna.

C/SrA Winchester (Writing radio logs)

During this austere training they made profound contacts from all round.

Birchwood

Written by: SM Kathy Kenney, PAO Assistants

Flights and Fire Safety

January 2026 certainly threw the book at us. Between record-setting snowfall, school winter breaks, and treacherous ice, our squadron’s flexibility was put to the ultimate test.

Safety First: Electrical Cords

Our first meeting of the month saw light attendance due to the snow, but for those

who made it, Major Mike Kenney delivered a vital safety brief on electrical cord safety. He bridged the gap between classroom science and hangar safety, even

introducing

Cadets and Senior Members to the electrical principle of Ohm’s Law.

Major Kenney stressed that when we use damaged cords or "daisy-chain" power strips, we increase resistance, which generates heat. In a dry, cold hangar environment, that heat is a primary fire hazard. Key takeaways included visual inspection, emphasis on never plugging one cord into another (“daisy-chaining”), keeping all plug connections off the ground to prevent short circuits during our freezethaw cycles, and ensuring cords rated for extreme cold for any outdoor application.

Orientation Flights

Even with the weather episodes of snow and ice outside, a weather window

cleared in the middle of the month to allow Cadets and Senior Members to fly. Senior Member Chris Hixson took full advantage of the long holiday weekend of January 17th and 18th, conducting a marathon of Orientation Flights. Thanks to Hixson’s incredible dedication, eight of our members gained valuable cockpit time and enjoyment of our Alaska home.

Congratulations to our O-Flight participants:

Cadets: A1C Lukas Ahlvin, A1C Nyle Brown, A1C Ian Cole, MSgt Charles Slater, and Amn Noah McCauley.

Senior Members (SM): 2d Lt Debbie Slater, SM Mattias Ahlvin, and SM Ian Cole.

In a rare and exciting turn of events, we had three parent-cadet duos fly

together: 2d Lt Debbie Slater with her son, Charles; SM Ian Cole with his son, Ian; and

SM Mattias Ahlvin with his son, Lukas.

The weather turned a different direction for our last meeting of the month with an ice layer that closed the Glenn Highway inbound to Anchorage for a few hours. Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our Team, our last meeting of the month, the highly anticipated Cadet promotion ceremony, was cancelled, but quickly rescheduled for the first meeting in February.

While January’s ice and snow attempted to keep us grounded, the resilience and dedication of our members ensured the mission continued.

2026 Winter Bivouac / Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX)

By: 2Lt. Alan Sorum

Chartered by Congress in 1946, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is charged with three primary programs, one of which is emergency services. Unique among other wings across the country, the Alaska Wing trains to be prepared both in the air and on the ground. We are ready to respond, when needed, to local and national emergencies in all weather conditions.

During the weekend of February 6, 2026, both cadet and senior members of the

multiple squadrons in Southcentral Alaska were able to attend.

Cadets arrived ready to practice their ground team training in winter conditions, practice locating an emergency locator beacon (ELT), and their training concluded with a snow-covered bivouac on Saturday evening. Members were able work towards their Ground Team Member (GTM) and Urban Direction Finding Team (UDF) qualifications.

Alaska Wing participated in an extensive training exercise. It was designed to develop the knowledge and skills needed to respond to missions occurring in our northern environment. Hosted by the Birchwood Squadron, members from

CAP Captain Aaron Sperbeck, serving as the exercise’s Air Operations Branch Director said, “Alaska can be an unforgiving place when ill prepared or an emergency occurs, which is why it becomes vital to train in real world, cold weather conditions. This

quarter’s winter SAREX was an opportunity for the Alaska Wing’s cadets and senior members from several local southcentral squadrons, to train and operate in below freezing conditions, learning valuable outdoor survival techniques, bushcraft skills and the importance of mental toughness, leadership and discipline.

A number of senior members were able to further their Mission Scanner (MS) and Mission Observer (MO) qualifications with two CAP aircraft used during the exercise. Two practice scenarios were completed. The first was a search for a family of three overdue on a snow machine trip

Aided by the tremendous support of our volunteer parents, senior members and command staff, these cadets were able to put their newly honed skills to the test under the direction of Alaska Recuse Coordination Center to successfully locate and identify a non-emergency ELT in under 45 minutes from detection.”

near Flat Horn Lake. The second was the successful search for a downed aircraft using the historic wreckage of McDonnell F-101 Voodoo. Air and ground crews were able to work together, improving their communications skills and ability to located an ELT.

Reflecting on the successful exercise, CAP Lieutenant Commander Brian “Irish” Porter, acting as the Incident Commander stated, “A critical effort in maintaining the mission readiness of our professional volunteer force comprised of aircrew, ground SAR teams and incident command staff is the regular cross-functional exercise of the full range of capabilities CAP offers to our partners. These quarterly events are an opportunity to draw together personnel from across the state to generate teams that deliver timely, flexible and life-saving expertise, and this oneaccomplished in the challenging winter weather conditions found in mid-winteris no exception.

With another successful winter survival bivouac under our belts, we'll look to continue our demanding training plan throughout the rest of the year as we remain "Semper Vigilans," watchful and ready to execute our many missions to support the US Air Force, US Coast Guard and Alaskan State Troopers in the field.”

The Alaska Wing has a long and storied history of successful, real-world contributions, when it comes to saving fellow Alaskans and training tomorrow’s leaders. This year’s Winter SAREX will happily add one more page to that wonderful record. Our members are encouraged to participate in these exercises that are conducted on a regular basis.

Understanding the Radio Spectrum

By: 2Lt. Alan Sorum

Electromagnetic Waves – Electricity and magnetism can be static or fixed in place. Examples are static electricity seen on dry days and the pull of a bar magnet. An electric field can link to a magnetic field, creating an electromagnetic field that can move freely through space. A changing electric field will induce or create a magnetic field and the reverse is true. This is in part how electricity is generated.

Electromagnetic waves are described by their wavelength or frequency. A wavelength is the distance a wave moving at the speed of light travels during one cycle. Named after Heinrich Hertz, the standard measurement for frequency is one cycle per second or one Hertz. Looking at the electric field shown in Figure 1, it has completed two full cycles moving from positive to negative and back again.

Electromagnetic Spectrum – Radio waves are part of the overall electromagnetic spectrum. The spectrum runs from the longest radio waves to visible light to gamma rays. Radio waves move at the same speed as light. They can travel through a vacuum, the air or a coaxial cable. Passage through the atmosphere or a transmission line will slightly slow them.

Radio waves can range in length from one millimeter to one hundred kilometers. These correspond to frequencies of Gigahertz (GHz), one billion cycles per second to Megahertz (MHz), one million cycles per second to Kilohertz (KHz), one thousand cycles per second. Radio operators often express frequency bands by their length, i.e. 30 meters (10MHz) or 20 meters (14MHz).

Radio Bands - Radio frequencies are divided into bands. The bands are grouped by frequency and each band has its own unique properties. These are common bands of interest to most radio operators:

• Medium Frequency (MF) 300 to 3,000 KHz, wavelength 1,000 to 100 meters. Used for AM radio broadcasts and avalanche beacons.

• High Frequency (HF) 3 to 30 MHz, wavelength 100 to 10 meters. Used for long range radio communications, shortwave broadcasts and over the horizon radar.

• Very High Frequency (VHF) 30 to 300 MHZ, wavelength 10 to 1 meters. Used for FM and television broadcasts, radar, weather radio and shortrange radio communications.

• Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) 300 to 3,000 MHz, 100 to 10 centimeters. Used for emergency locator beacons, radio communications, microwave ovens and ADS-B.

High Frequency (HF) versus Very High Frequency (VHF) – The Civil Air Patrol predominately uses the HF and VHF bands for its radio communications. VHF radios transmit along line of sight, obstructions like buildings or mountains will block their signals. Radio stations placed at high sites, known as repeaters, will extend the range of VHF radios. VHF radios can be handheld that produce around five watts of power, while mobile radios found in vehicles or base stations can put out 25 watts.

High frequency radios are used for long haul communications. Ranges can vary from the town next door to someone thousands of miles away. HF radio is especially useful in emergency communications during times of natural disasters when normal means of communication are disrupted. The Alaska Wing is exercising this capability through its Twenty Seconds More series of exercises.

Understanding the electromagnetic and radio spectrums is an important skillset for those interested in radio communications. The CAP’s use of radios in supporting the organization’s missions highlights the varied capabilities of the frequency spectrum. The CAP has a robust Communications Officer training program for those interested in exploring this field further.

SM Nick Perry Interview

By: Laura Emerson

Senior Member Nick Perry is the Alaska Wing’s Aircraft Maintenance Officer Unmanned (AMOU) for our fleet of unmanned aviation vehicles (UAVs), or drones. We are fortunate to have him volunteer for this role, because he also runs a drone service company in Eagle River, Alaska. https://www. facebook.com/npcdroneak/

Perry initially joined the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Bethel squadron in 2005. Last year he joined the Birchwood squadron after his youngest son, Tyler, did so.

Aviation is in Perry’s blood. His father was an Army and commercial rotary and fixed wing pilot in Bethel, Alaska. His grandfather was a Navy and commercial pilot back in the 1930s and 1940s. When Perry was 9 or 10 years old he had his first UAV experience when a CAP member gave him a balsa wood glider kit that he could build and fly by remote control.

Today, Perry owns several drones with various capabilities, such as a camera for photography, thermal sensors, a spotlight, and a speaker for one-way communication. Clients can hire him for a variety of tasks such as aerial photography and video, pet SAR, orthomosaic and 3d models, mapping and monitoring construction progress,

and more.

Both police and military use drones in situations that are dangerous for people. Surveillance is a common purpose, for example, over a riot. Police use drones to follow criminals escaping a scene. They have drones that can enter a building and provide two-way communication in hostage situations, dispense pepper spray, explore earthquake damaged buildings, and other things.

How will CAP deploy drones?

CAP utilizes small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) to provide search and rescue (SAR) and aerial reconnaissance by providing near and real time imagery before and after disasters.

Washington State in the last month has been using sUAS to photograph flood damage.

Birchwood Squadron can also use sUAS for SAR operations. sUAS with infra-red and thermal imagery can see what our manned aircraft pilots and scanners cannot.

What are some limitations to drone usage?

Battery life is an example of limitations to drone usage and can be seasonally impacted. In summer months drones can fly 35 – 45 minutes, depending on the unit. In colder weather airtime decreases to 25 – 35 minutes.

Additionally, drones need to remain in the visual line of sight of the remote pilot in command or their Visual Observers.

Weather confers other limitations. For instance, we are not allowed to fly in fog due to the three-mile minimum visibility requirement and must remain 500 feet vertically and 2,000 feet horizontally from any cloud. During flat light conditions. Also, each drone has a maximum wind threshold. I have one drone that can fly in wind up to 27 mph, but most require calmer conditions to operate.

What do you think of CAP National’s new hire to lead its UAV program?

Mr. William Evans is well qualified, and I think he will do a good job. I spoke with him last month. He is updating regulations and training materials, acquiring equipment, and distributing it to Wings that request it. To that end, he is working directly with UAV manufacturers to possibly secure lower prices for CAP. The Blue listed or NDAA UAV’s are ridiculously overpriced, and in some instances, inferior to products produced by companies like DJI, which I own. We have been authorized for a shipment of 5 more drones which will help ramp up Alaska Wing’s training this summer.

What are your hopes for UAV use by the Alaska Wing in 2026?

With the additional 5 drones from CAP National, the Alaska Wing will be able to provide SAR capabilities for ground teams, create orthomosaic imagery/3D modeling before and after disasters, critical infrastructure assessments, and deploy additional drones to squadrons throughout the State. Our UAV team consisting of Bryan Emerson, Doug Heisner, Mike Kenny, Mary Stella, and myself are committed to a great program and training sessions this summer. Participants can choose a compact weekend of full days or a four day session with fewer hours per day. Sessions are currently planned for Valdez (April), Fairbanks (May), Homer (June) and Birchwood. Any squadron outside the Anchorage area that can guarantee at least 6 students can request dates for local training.

Our goal is to identify a UAV officer in each squadron who is interested in initiating a drone program and will interact with our Birchwood team for maintenance, inventory, and training. You can register at the following link for training this summer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/ e/1FAIpQLSdfKKlebfP3LjIPCOBafIw8Mo7j8GAfwRuSGuyv6pewdmx9w/ viewform?usp=header

UAS (Drone) Training Scenario

by Laura Emerson

Whereas the Alaska Wing does not currently have enough UAS' for each squadron, it does have sufficient for those squadrons that demonstrate they can get their members trained and use the equipment responsibly. Therefore, the UAS team has scheduled several training sessions this summer (some two days and some four days long), in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Valdez and Homer for any senior and cadet members who are interested. Below is a sample training scenario, indicative of how we might deploy our fleet in the future.

Wildfire Perimeter & Hot-Spot Recon (Thermal + Mapping)

Story: A lightning-caused fire is growing in mixed spruce/brush. Incident Command wants perimeter confirmation and hot-spot marking before nightfall.

Training objectives

Operate in smoke/limited visibility within CAP/ FAA constraints.

Setup

Area: open tundra/brush training site; no actual fire needed.

Place “hot spot” simulators: hand warmers/heat pads under burlap, plus visible “smoke” markers.

Coordinate with a mock Air Ops Branch (roleplayer).

Tasks to evaluate

Use thermal/EO to identify hot spots and fire line breaches.

Practice integration with air/ground firefighting elements.

Airspace coord: TFR awareness, altitude blocks, maintaining visual line of sight.

Pattern: perimeter orbit + sector scans; good overlap for a stitched map.

Thermal discipline: palette choice, avoiding false positives (rocks, sun-heated surfaces).

Reporting: perimeter trace + hot-spot coordinates and priority notes.

Success standard

Produce a perimeter sketch or map layer with ≥80% accuracy vs. ground truth.

Correctly identify/locate ≥2 hot spots and report within 5 minutes of detection.

Laura Emerson Alaskauu1@gmail.com

1 907 795 5586 (tel)

https://www.amazon.com/Log-CabinReflections-Off-Grid-Homestead-ebook/dp/ B0BZN1FZR9/ref=sr_1_1 (book)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfKKlebfP3LjIPCOBafIw8Mo7j8GAfwRuSGuyv6pewdmx9w/viewform?usp=header

February

19 – 117 – Part 1 Course - 6:00 to 8:00 PM (Cadet and Seniors)

I will be teaching the 117 part - 1 course and then they will take the exam.

22 - Level II Moderate Courses continue 5:00 to 7:00 PM - (Seniors only)

The moderate level II courses will be taught until they are completed on the dates indicated in the calendar.

March

1 – Level II Moderate courses continues 5:00 to 7:00 PM - (Seniors only)

We will be working to complete your specializations and will go through each task until it is finished. You will be assigned a mentor to help you in the process.

12 – Aircraft Ground Handling - 6:00 to 8:00 PM (Cadet and Seniors) Bring the course presentation and then they will take the exam.

15 – Level II Moderate courses continues 5:00 to 7:00 PM - (Seniors only)

The moderate level III courses will be taught until they are completed on the dates indicated in the calendar.

19 – WMIRS Class - 6:00 to 8:00 PM (Cadet and Seniors)

The WMIRS platform will be presented, explaining how it works and its areas.

22 - Level II Moderate Courses complete 5:00 to 7:00 PM - (Seniors only)

The moderate level II courses will be taught until they are completed on the dates indicated in the calendar.

April

9 – ICS Forms - 6:00 to 8:00 PM (Cadet and Seniors)

The forms used and how to complete them will be presented.

Maj. Julie G. RIvera Mercado

AKWG Education and Training Director Cel. 787-424-0560

Office Hours

Days: 1st. and 3rd. Wednesday of each month

Hours: 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM - AK Time

Link to connect to the office hours and clases is: Time zone: America/Anchorage Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/vzw-xnos-gtx

Wing Vacancies

Director of Aerospace Education

Ensure training for newly-appointed aerospace education officers. Develop and carry out the wing Plan of Action for aerospace education. Visit and communicate with subordinate units. Provide subordinate program support, as necessary and reasonable. Ensure members earning Yeager awards have such entered in eServices; issue certificates. Maintain continuous records of Wing AE activities for reporting purposes Support the AE program with a regular newsletter, or, include an AE column in the Wing newsletter. Ensure the dissemination to all subordinate AEOs of changes in programs, regulations, policies, and procedures relevant to aerospace education. Support external aerospace education outreach programs and activities requested of the Wing. Ensure nominations are made for AE awards by subordinate AEOs, and, at the Wing level- by due dates. Ensure unit AEOs are aware of AFA grant dates to support aerospace/ STEM activities. Contact Wing AEMs during the year to provide information about Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) flights; coordinate TOP flight requests with Wing DO.

Health Services Officer

Responsible for advising CAP commanders and units on the health, sanitation and hygiene of CAP members relevant to CAP activities. (See CAPR 160-1(I) for policy on emergency medical treatment).

Personnel Officer

Membership records and applications.

Organizational actions (charters, deactivations, etc.).

Awards and decorations.

Duty assignments.

Logistics Officer

The logistics officer advises the wing commander on the status of their respective property management programs and leads programs in accordance with CAPR 130-1 and wing supplements. They shall: Train and oversees subordinate unit property management officers Account for property assigned to the wing. Be responsible for real property management in accordance with CAPR 130-1

Website Administrator

A webmaster, also known as a website administrator, is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of an organization's websites and servers. Their responsibilities include site maintenance: Performing routine maintenance and updates to ensure sites are functional, current, and accessible. Webmasters should be able to work independently and with a team, meet deadlines, adapt quickly, and have good communication skills.

The weather conditions this month have been very harsh. But this hasn't stopped us from continuing with our plans. Weekly meetings, activities, SAR Ex, among many other things. Once again, we continue to demonstrate that we are strong, that we have courage, and above all, that we are resilient.

Many more things await us in the coming months, so stay in touch and celebrate every achievement with us.

This online publication is designed to attract, inform and motivate readers through photographs, text and stories. We see and feel the four core values in the faces and body language of the cadets and senior members portrayed herein. Submissions are accepted through the 10th of each month. Be safe and live our core values!

And please, thank, congratulate, and mentor your fellow CAP members whenever possible. In any volunteer organization, the only form of compensation is saying “job well done; thank you.”

Maj. Julie G. Rivera Mercado, CAP Publisher and Editor

Alaska Wing PAO julie.rivera@akwg.cap.gov (M) 1 (787) 424-0560

Lt Col Bryan Emerson, CAP Co - Editor

Alaska Wing PAO, Assistant bryan.emerson@akwg.cap.gov (M) 1 (907) 795-5586