Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol Explained

The Virginia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the state of Virginia. Virginia Wing headquarters are located in Richmond, Virginia.[1] The Virginia Wing consists of over 2,000 cadets and adult members at over 22 locations across the state of Virginia.[2]

Mission

The Civil Air Patrol has three primary missions set forth by the United States Congress: emergency services, cadet programs, and aerospace education.[3]

Emergency services

The Civil Air Patrol performs emergency services missions, including search and rescue missions. Other emergency services missions include disaster relief, reconnaissance, and counter-drug along with transportation missions, all of which are support for homeland security.[4] CAP provides radio communications during disasters to maintain communication when commercial communications infrastructure is nonfunctional.

In May 2020, the Virginia Wing began assisting the Virginia National Guard in its response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic by transporting coronavirus tests to and from the Eastern Shore.[5]

Cadet programs

CAP offers cadet programs for youth aged 12 to 21, which includes aerospace education, leadership training, physical fitness and moral leadership.[6]

Virginia Wing cadets take part in activities including camping trips, model rocket launches, and fundraisers. In addition, cadets are eligible to participate in statewide activities such as an encampment, a week-long immersion into cadet life, held annually at Fort Barfoot in Blackstone, VA. Cadets are also eligible to train for and participate in CAP emergency services operations. Cadets often serve as radio operators, ground team members, and mission base staff. Cadets over the age of 18 can also serve on CAP aircrews.[7]

Aerospace education

The Civil Air Patrol provides aerospace education to the public and its own members. Public education is offered through education programs directed toward the aviation community and the public at large. Education for CAP members is an internally focused program directed primarily at cadet members as part of their training program.[8]

Organization

Squadrons of the Virginia Wing[9]
Charter NumberSquadron NameLocationNotes
VA-002Augusta Composite SquadronBridgewaterhttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/augusta
VA-007William P. Knight Composite SquadronHerndonhttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/william-p-knight
VA-017Lynchburg Composite SquadronLynchburghttps://lynchburg.cap.gov/
VA-023Danville Composite SquadronDanvillehttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/danville
VA-025Langley Composite SquadronLangley Air Force Basehttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/langley
VA-035Tidewater Composite SquadronHampton Roads Executive Airport
VA-040Winchester Composite SquadronWinchesterhttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/winchester
VA-048Roanoke Composite SquadronRoanokehttps://roanoke.cap.gov/
VA-056Montgomery Composite SquadronChristiansburg
VA-060Southside Composite SquadronChesterfieldhttps://southside.cap.gov/
VA-088Newport-News Composite SquadronNewport Newshttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/newportnews
VA-089Carolyn A. Guertin Cadet SquadronRichmondhttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/carolynguertin
VA-091Monticello Composite SquadronCharlottesvillehttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/monticello
VA-094Hanover County Composite SquadronAshlandhttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/hanover
VA-095Coastal Composite SquadronVirginia Beachhttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/coastal
VA-102Prince William Composite SquadronManassashttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/princewilliam
VA-108Fredericksburg Composite SquadronFredericksburghttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/fredericksburgcap
VA-117Leesburg Composite SquadronLeesburghttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/leesburg
VA-130Burke Composite SquadronSpringfieldhttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/burke
VA-135Minuteman Composite SquadronCulpeperhttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/minuteman
VA-141Hampton Roads Composite SquadronChesapeakehttps://www.facebook.com/HRCS141/
VA-999Virginia State Legislative Squadronhttps://vawg.cap.gov/units/legislative

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Contact Us . Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website . 14 November 2015 .
  2. Web site: 2014 Statistics . Capmembers.com . 14 November 2015.
  3. Web site: About VAWG CAP . Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. 11 October 2023 .
  4. Web site: CAP Emergency Services . Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. 11 October 2023 .
  5. Web site: Civil Air Patrol helps transport COVID-19 tests . . 25 May 2020 . . 31 May 2020 .
  6. Web site: Cadet Programs. Civil Air Patrol Official Website. 11 October 2023.
  7. Web site: Cadet Programs . Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. 11 October 2023 .
  8. Web site: Aerospace Education . Civil Air Patrol Official Website . 11 October 2023.
  9. Web site: Civil Air Patrol Unit Directory. Gocivilairpatrol.com. 14 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150807161925/http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/Unit_Directory_3449B1BF3A9EC.pdf. 7 August 2015. dead. dmy-all.