Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is part of Southeast Region (SER) and the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the state of Florida. Florida Wing headquarters is on the Sun 'n Fun campus located at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida.[1] Florida Wing consists of over 3,500 cadet and adult members at over 66 locations across the state of Florida.[2] Col David Panzera assumed command from Col Luis Negron on April 6, 2024, at the Florida Wing Conference in Orlando, Florida.[3]
Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2021, Civil Air Patrol is congressionally chartered and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. CAP performs services for the federal government as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and for states and local communities. CAP is a strategic member of the Total Force, consisting of the Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Air Force auxiliary. CAP performs three primary missions — Cadet Programs, Aerospace Education, and Emergency Services.
See main article: History of the Civil Air Patrol. Prior to the creation of Civil Air Patrol, the state of Florida created its own group of paramilitary civilian aviators to patrol its coastline. Organized in 1941, the First Air Squadron was mustered in on May 28, 1941. Organized under the Florida Defense Force, the First Air Squadron was made up of civilian volunteers, and all aircraft were privately owned. Members were required to either have a private pilot's license or have served in the military at least one year to join. The First Air Squadron patrolled the Florida coast for U-boats and assisted in search and rescue missions.[4]
Civil Air Patrol was created on December 1, 1941.[5] In Florida, the First Air Squadron was reorganized as a Civil Air Patrol unit. By early January 1942, Florida wing was organized into seven different operation groups, each with a commander and staff.[6]
Florida Wing, Civil Air Patrol will continue to build the exemplary organization of citizen volunteers performing missions for the communities of Florida... Train for Response, Succeed in our Response, Excel in our Service.
Volunteers serving America's communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.[7]
Civil Air Patrol has three primary missions: aerospace education, cadet programs, and emergency services.[8]
National:
Through their experiences as CAP cadets, young people develop into responsible citizens and become tomorrow's aerospace leaders. CAP is the volunteer, nonprofit auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. Its three missions are to develop its cadets, educate Americans on the importance of aviation and space, and perform life-saving, humanitarian missions.
Florida Wing, 2020 Cadet Programs Statistics (note - lower numbers than usual due to COVID19 organizational wide stand-down):
Civil Air Patrol offers numerous products and programs—free to members—in fulfillment of both its Internal (cadets and senior members) and External (educators and students) Aerospace Education mission. Explore the Aerospace Education section of the Civil Air Patrol website at GoCivilAirPatrol.com for information on specific programs including STEM Kits, the K-6th grade Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE)program, Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX), Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) flights (in CAP aircraft), and more. Florida Wing maintained educational partnerships with 76 high schools; supported the National Space Familiarization Course; and provided a space flight orientation course.
Florida Wing is divided into nine groups across the state, with each squadron or flight being assigned to a group based on its geographical location. The Wing comprises 21 Cadet Squadrons, 7 Senior Squadrons, 29 Composite Squadrons (composed of both Cadets and Senior Members), and the Support and Legislative Squadrons.[9]
| Group | Charter No. | Unit Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SER-FL-000 | Florida Wing Support Squadron | Lakeland | ||
| SER-FL-001 | Florida Wing HQ | Lakeland | ||
| SER-FL-999 | Florida Legislative Squadron | Tallahassee | ||
| Group 1 | SER-FL-423 | Eglin Composite Squadron | Eglin Air Force Base | |
| SER-FL-424 | Emerald Coast Senior Squadron | Pensacola | ||
| SER-FL-425 | Pensacola Cadet Squadron | Pensacola | ||
| SER-FL-432 | Tallahassee Composite Squadron | Tallahassee | ||
| SER-FL-435 | Betty McNabb Composite Squadron | Panama City | ||
| SER-FL-444 | Marianna Composite Squadron | Marianna | ||
| Group 2 | SER-FL-021 | Lake Composite Squadron | Tavares | |
| SER-FL-049 | Ormond Beach Composite Squadron | Ormond Beach | ||
| SER-FL-142 | Gainesville Composite Squadron | Gainesville | ||
| SER-FL-171 | Fruit Cove Cadet Squadron | St. Johns | ||
| SER-FL-173 | Saint Augustine Composite Squadron | St. Augustine | ||
| SER-FL-323 | Fernandina Senior Squadron | Fernandina Beach | ||
| SER-FL-361 | Marion County Composite Squadron | Ocala | ||
| SER-FL-383 | Jacksonville Composite Squadron | Jacksonville | ||
| SER-FL-831 | Liberty Middle School Squadron | Ocala | ||
| SER-FL-607 | Suwannee River Composite Squadron | Branford | ||
| Group 3 | SER-FL-066 | St Petersburg Cadet Squadron | St. Petersburg | |
| SER-FL-182 | Pinellas Senior Squadron | St. Petersburg | ||
| SER-FL-301 | Hernando County Composite Squadron | Brooksville | ||
| SER-FL-447 | Clearwater Composite Squadron | Clearwater | ||
| SER-FL-458 | Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron | Wesley Chapel | ||
| SER-FL-459 | Zephyr Airport Cadet Squadron | Zephyrhills | ||
| SER-FL-829 | Azalea Middle School Cadet Squadron | St. Petersburg | ||
| SER-FL-828 | Sunlake High School Cadet Squadron | Land O' Lakes | ||
| Group 4 | SER-FL-463 | 463rd Composite Squadron | Kissimmee | |
| SER-FL-267 | Ti-Co Composite Squadron | Titusville | ||
| SER-FL-293 | Patrick Composite Squadron | Satellite Beach | ||
| SER-FL-259 | Central Florida Composite Squadron | Orlando | ||
| SER-FL-116 | Seminole Composite Squadron | Sanford | ||
| SER-FL-122 | Merritt Island Senior Squadron | Merritt Island | ||
| Group 5 | SER-FL-314 | Highlands County Composite Squadron | Sebring | |
| SER-FL-044 | SQR Composite Squadron | Sarasota | ||
| SER-FL-051 | Charlotte County Composite Squadron | Punta Gorda | ||
| SER-FL-335 | Venice Cadet Squadron | Venice | ||
| SER-FL-023 | Naples Composite Squadron | Naples | ||
| SER-FL-376 | Marco Island Senior Squadron | Marco Island | ||
| Group 6 | SER-FL-024 | Stuart Composite Squadron | Port St. Lucie | |
| SER-FL-457 | Indian River Composite Squadron | Indian River | ||
| SER-FL-054 | Lantana Cadet Squadron | Lantana | ||
| SER-FL-078 | Treasure Coast Composite Squadron | Ft. Pierce | ||
| SER-FL-152 | North Palm Beach County Cadet Squadron | Jupiter | ||
| SER-FL-830 | Pahokee Middle High School Cadet Squadron | Pahokee | ||
| Group 7 | SER-FL-076 | Miami Senior Squadron 1 | Opa-Locka | |
| SER-FL-279 | Homestead Air Reserve Base Cadet Squadron | Homestead Air Reserve Base | ||
| SER-FL-319 | Doral Cadet Squadron | Doral | ||
| SER-FL-355 | Tamiami Composite Squadron | Miami | ||
| SER-FL-462 | Key West Cadet Squadron | Key West | ||
| SER-FL-464 | Opa-Locka Cadet Squadron | Miami Gardens | ||
| Group 8 | SER-FL-237 | Brandon Cadet Squadron | Brandon | |
| SER-FL-089 | 089th MacDill Aviation Cadet Squadron | MacDill Air Force Base | ||
| SER-FL-243 | North Tampa-Lutz Cadet Squadron | Lutz | ||
| SER-FL-274 | Polk County Composite Squadron | Winter Haven | ||
| SER-FL-310 | Hillsborough One Senior Squadron | Tampa | ||
| SER-FL-466 | Lakeland Composite Squadron | Lakeland | ||
| Group 9 | SER-FL-011 | North Perry Composite Squadron | Pembroke Pines | |
| SER-FL-016 | Coral Springs Cadet Squadron | Coral Springs | ||
| SER-FL-286 | Pines-Miramar Composite Squadron | Hollywood | ||
| SER-FL-337 | Fort Lauderdale Composite Squadron | Ft. Lauderdale | ||
| SER-FL-372 | Boca Raton Composite Squadron | Boca Raton | ||
| SER-FL-606 | Gold Coast Senior Squadron | Ft. Lauderdale | ||
| SER-FL-811 | Crystal Lake MS Cadet Squadron | Pompano Beach | ||
Under the State of Florida Civil Air Patrol Leave Act, members of Civil Air Patrol who are employed within the boundaries of Florida, by a company which employs fifteen or more people, are allowed up to fifteen days of unpaid leave annually for the purpose of participating in Civil Air Patrol training or missions. Employees will not be required to use accrued vacation or sick leave or any other type of accrued leave prior to taking unpaid Civil Air Patrol leave, but may choose to use such benefits. Employers are forbidden from requiring Civil Air Patrol members to use vacation, annual, compensatory, or similar leave time for the period during which the member was on Civil Air Patrol leave. Employers are also forbidden from penalizing or firing employees for taking Civil Air Patrol leave. These employee rights are codified under Florida Statutes § 252.55.[11]