Iowa Wing News

Steve Cox
Public Affairs Manager
National Headquarters

It’s an annual rite of late winter for Civil Air Patrol cadets – at least for the 24 lucky enough to be chosen to participate in CAP’s Civic Leadership Academy, which begins Saturday.

Held each February in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with CAP’s Legislative Day and Winter National Board meeting, the weeklong academy is one of the nation’s premier civic education activities, providing two dozen of the organization’s top best cadets with a head start on their public service careers.

“It is the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Maj. Gen. Chuck Carr, CAP national commander. “The cadets leave this activity with a well-rounded understanding of government leadership, public service and the principles that guide our nation.

“In turn, we expect them to apply those principles to their lives and be thoughtful participants and leaders in America’s future.”

A National Cadet Special Activity created by CAP in 2002, CLA allows a select group of cadets to experience the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government first-hand. It’s an academically intense, interactive study of U.S. government in action, providing participants the opportunity to grow as citizens and young leaders through lessons in persuasive leadership, federal government, public service careers and American heritage.

In addition to a blend of field trips, lectures, seminars and assigned readings from historic and current sources, the cadets visit the U.S. Capitol; the Supreme Court; the State Department; Arlington National Cemetery, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; the CIA; the Pentagon; the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va.; legislative offices; and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, as well as the World War II, Korean War Veterans, Vietnam Veterans, Women in Military Service and Lincoln memorials.

At each location they hear from VIPs who provide insights designed to deepen the cadets’ understanding of government in action. Their CLA tasks culminate with a final project – a presentation on their experience to their peers in their home squadrons and wings.

“The cadets are not just learning about government but are interacting with their government, learning the power of one individual and a small group becoming agents for change,” said Lt. Col. Bill Brockman, CLA’s activity director and founding faculty member.

In recognition of the program’s outstanding academic value, the National Association of Secondary School Principals has again placed CLA on the National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for 2011-2012.

As part of their visit, CLA cadets will participate March 1 in CAP’s 2012 Legislative Day, assisting their region and wing commanders in briefing Capitol Hill legislators on how CAP’s primary missions of emergency services, aerospace education and cadet programs have benefited their communities.

In addition, they’ll seek support for legislation pending in both houses of Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to CAP in honor of members who served during World War II.

The cadets are looking forward to their week in the nation’s capital. “This is my first trip to Washington. I have always wanted to go, but never had the chance,” said Cadet Capt. Ezekiel D. House, assistant to the cadet commander of the Wyoming Wing’s Cheyenne Composite Squadron. “I am excited and honored to be chosen for this activity.”

“I am deeply humbled and honored to be one of the few selected for the Civic Leadership Academy,” said Cadet Capt. James A. Gulliksen, cadet commander of the Texas Wing’s Addison Eagles Composite Squadron. “It feels overwhelming to be in the top tier of cadets that I looked up to when I joined CAP years ago.”

House is proud to be representing the Wyoming Wing, one of 17 represented at this year’s academy.

“The Wyoming Wing doesn’t get too much attention on the national level,,” he said, “so I’m excited to have the opportunity to show the nation that cadets from the Wyoming Wing are every bit as professional and capable as cadets from anywhere else.”

For Gulliksen, “This will be my second trip to D.C., but my only other trip was over five years ago. It was a great family vacation, but nothing like going in-depth into our own government’s workings,” he said.

“I expect to see the topics we study in the work leading up to the academy,” said Gulliksen, referencing the preliminary reading list given to participants. “We are learning comprehensive studies regarding the State Department, Capitol, Supreme Court, Pentagon, CIA and FBI. I am very excited and anxious to dive further into each of these topics once I arrive at the academy.”

Thanks to CLA, House said, “I expect to see the United States government from a standpoint that very few people get to see it from. “I hope to gain an understanding of the inner workings of government, not as seen through the eyes of the media, but through my own eyes.”

So is a public service career ahead for any of these cadets?

“I am interested in joining Air Force ROTC in college and definitely pursuing my interest in politics after serving as an Air Force officer,” Gulliksen said.

“I haven’t thought much about it,” House said. “I have always wanted to be a pilot in the Air Force, but public service may provide a fascinating alternative to this goal.

“Part of the reason why I applied to CLA was to see if a career field in the FBI, CIA or even as an elected official would appeal to me.”

Though not among those interested in a public service career, Cadet 2nd Lt. Sierra Pierce is eager for more leadership opportunities like those afforded cadets chosen for CLA.

The oldest of nine children, she joined the Alaska Wing’s Baranof Composite Squadron two years ago to learn to fly, but she quickly became entrenched as cadet commander – a position she held for 19 months before recently giving it up to take a class that conflicted with her CAP schedule. She now serves as vice chairwoman for her wing’s Cadet Advisory Council.

“As a cadet I have attended the 2010 Alaska Wing Encampment, the 2011 Southeast Search and Rescue School and the 2011 Alaska Wing Glider Academy,” Pierce said. “Over Christmas break I attended a Region Cadet Leadership School held in Washington State. Last summer I was given the opportunity to plan and command the first Southeast Alaska Leadership Camp. The leadership camp was my favorite of all of them, and this year I am working on putting together another one.”

She earned her private pilot’s license in October and plans to begin training next fall at the School of Missionary Aviation Technology in Lowell, Mich.

“God has blessed me with the call of missions, and I am in training to serve him as a missionary pilot with Missionary Aviation Fellowship,” the cadet said.

In the meantime, she will use the leadership skills she has learned in CAP as a participant in CLA.

“I don’t really have any expectations for this trip,” said Pierce, who enjoys studying U.S. history. “I want to go and see all of the historical places and see our government in action and meet the people responsible for leading this great nation.”

Civic Leadership Academy participants

Alaska Wing

• Cadet      2nd Lt. Parker Merrifield, Ninth Composite Operations Squadron.
• Cadet      2nd Lt. Sierra Pierce, Baranof Composite Squadron.

California Wing

• Cadet      Capt. Nathan Beck, Butte County Composite Squadron 95.
• Cadet      1st Lt. Joshua Huntington, Palm Springs Composite Squadron 11.

Colorado Wing

• Cadet      2nd Lt. Noah Gibbs, Steamboat Springs Composite Squadron.

Florida Wing

• Cadet      Maj. Christopher Jamerson, Central Florida Composite Squadron.
• Cadet      Capt. Joshua Dovi, Citrus County Composite Squadron.

Indiana Wing

• Cadet      Lt. Col. John-Paul Franks, Anderson Composite Squadron.
• Cadet      Maj. Christopher Weinzapfel, Rivercity Cadet Squadron.

Kentucky Wing

• Cadet      2nd Lt. Stephanie Bridges, Campbell County Composite Squadron.

Missouri Wing

• Cadet      Capt. Lawton Huffman, Pony Express Composite Squadron.

Nebraska Wing

• Cadet      Lt. Col. William McLaughlin, Gen. Curtis Lemay Offutt Composite Squadron,

New Jersey Wing

• Cadet      Lt. Col. Bryan Park, Gen. Jimmy Stewart Composite Squadron.
• Cadet      2nd Lt. Ryan Moran, Allentown Composite Squadron.

Ohio Wing

• Cadet      Capt. Adam Campbell, Harrison Composite Squadron.
• Cadet      Capt. Jared Mohler, Columbus Composite Squadron.
• Cadet      Capt. Joshua Schoettelkotte, Wright-Patterson Cadet Squadron.

Oklahoma Wing

• Cadet      2nd Lt. Landon Graham, Durant-Eaker Field Composite Squadron.

 Pennsylvania Wing

• Cadet      1st Lt. Ezekiel Mathur, Northeast Philadelphia Composite Squadron      104.

Tennessee Wing

• Cadet      Lt. Col. Brian Roy, Murfreesboro Composite Squadron.

Texas Wing

• Cadet      Capt. James Gulliksen, Addison Eagles Composite Squadron.

Virginia Wing

• Cadet      Lt. Col. Jonathan Hendry, Roanoke Composite Squadron.

Wisconsin Wing

• Cadet      1st Lt. Alexander Schultze, Ozaukee Composite Squadron.

Wyoming Wing

• Cadet      Capt. Ezekiel House, Cheyenne Composite Squadron.