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Civil Air Patrol's cadet program is a traditional military
cadet program. CAP cadets wear modified versions of Air Force
uniforms, hold rank and grade, and practice military customs and
courtesies. They are also required to maintain physical fitness
standards and are tested on their fitness and their knowledge of
leadership and aerospace subjects for each promotion. This
program is similar to that of the Air Force Junior Reserve
Officer Training Corps (JROTC), primarily because the Air
Force JROTC program was 'cloned' from the CAP Cadet Program in
the 1960s. However, there are several key differences between
the two programs.
The current CAP Cadet Program was designed by John V.
Sorenson John V. "Jack" Sorenson, who held the position of
Civil Air Patrol's Director of Aerospace Education in the 1960s.
This program is composed of four phases (Learning, Leadership,
Command, and Executive), each of which is divided into several
achievements. Achievements generally correspond to grade
promotions, while phases are tied to levels of responsibility.
The Cadet Program operates at a local unit (squadron) level with
weekly meetings and weekend activities, but also has national
and wing-sponsored week-long and multi-week summer activities,
of which encampments are an example.
The Cadet Program is overseen and administered by Senior Members
who generally specialize in the Cadet Program. At the squadron
level, the Cadet Commander's chain of command passes through the
Deputy Commander for Cadets before reaching the squadron
commander. There are 'Director of Cadet Programs' positions at
all command levels above squadron. In addition to the Deputy
Commander for Cadets, squadrons also have a Leadership Officer;
a Senior Member who's job is to see to the military aspects of
the Cadet program, such as uniforms, customs and courtesies.
One of the strongest features of the CAP Cadet Program is that
as Cadets progress, they are given additional responsibility for
scheduling, teaching, guiding and commanding the other cadets in
their units. They also assist their Senior Staffs in executing
the Cadet Program. It is not unusual for a nineteen year-old
Cadet officer to command an encampment of hundreds of junior
Cadets. This, coupled with the fact that Cadets may also
participate in CAP Emergency Services missions, sets CAP's Cadet
Program even further apart from other cadet programs.
Cadets are eligible for five orientation flights in CAP aircraft
and five glider flights. Some CAP wings have flight academies
where cadets can learn to fly. The USAF and United States Army|
also frequently schedule orientation flights for CAP cadets in
transport aircraft such as the KC-10]Extender, C-130 Hercules,
and the C-17 Globemaster III or, in the case of the Army,CH-47
Chinook helicopters.
"Civil Air Patrol volunteers play a
vital role in the life of our country. In the past decades their
skills and dedication to duty have saved many hundreds of lives and
guided thousands of our young people toward useful and productive
activity. Every American can be proud of Civil Air Patrol's record
of distinguished services to communities and to the nation."
-- President John
F. Kennedy
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