CAP scores big at Florida Wing Conference

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Lt. Col. Ray Rosenberg receiving Gill Robb Wilson Award. From left, CAP National Vice Commander Brigadier General Joseph R. Vazquez,Rosenberg and Florida Wing Commander Mike Cook. Submitted

Above: Some of the local area attendees at the formal CAP Banquet. From left, front, Lt. Col. Ray Rosenberg (U.S.A.F. retired), Former Marco Island Squadron Commander, now Group 5 Commander, Marco Squadron; Lt. Col. Frank Damico (U.S. Army Retired). Back, Lt. Col Jim Kaletta (Commander Punta Gorda Squadron), Capt. Steve Smith (Marco Deputy Commander-Seniors), Capt. Robert MacNeill (Marco Squadron Commander), Lt. Col. Lee Henderson (U.S. Navy Retired and former Commander Marco Squadron), Marco Squadron's Capt. Ken Bardon, Lt. Col. David Moruzzi (U.S. Air Force Retired), Heather and 2nd Lt. Jesse Baker, Maj. Cindy Dohm and Capt Robert Dohm (Retired United Airlines), Capt. Orlando Ramirez (Florida Wing IG Staff) and Marco's Capt. Richard Farmer. Submitted

Group 5 Change of Command: From left, Florida Wing Commander Mike Cook officiating, Lt. Col. Fran Gleockler passing command to Lt. Col. Ray Rosenberg. Submitted

Cindy Dohm receiving Personnel Officer of the Year Award. From left, Dohm and FLWG Commander Col. Mike Cook. Submitted

Richard Farmer receiving Mission Pilot of the Year Award. From left, Farmer and FLWG Commander Col. Mike Cook. Submitted

Florida Wing in the CAP Southeast Region is the largest and most active Wing. Each year Florida Wing conducts a Conference which was held in February this year in Tampa Florida. The official auxiliary of the United States Air Force, Civil Air Patrol is organized into 8 Regions and one Wing per state, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The Marco Island Composite Squadron was well represented with 10 of its 75 volunteer members attending.

In a formal ceremony FLWG Commander Mike Cook officiated in the Group 5 Change of Command, with Lt. Col. Fran Gleockler passing command to former Marco Island Commander Lt. Col. Ray Rosenberg.

The CAP National Vice Commander Brigadier General Joe Vazquez presented Lt. Col. Ray Rosenberg with the prestigious Gill Rob Wilson Award. This award is CAP’s highest award for senior member professional development. It recognizes members who have dedicated themselves to leadership and personal development in CAP. This award was first given in 1964 and honors the late Gill Robb Wilson, who is regarded as the founder of CAP and was its first executive director.

The three-day conference also includes group and breakout sessions providing training, organizational news, operational coordination. At the formal banquet, the Florida Wing Commander presents awards for outstanding performance of Florida Wing and Squadron members.

This year Marco Island Squadron members received a significant number of major Wing and national Awards:

n Lt. Col. Ray Rosenberg received the prestigious Gill Robb Wilson national award.

n Capt. Richard Farmer received the Wing Mission Pilot of the Year Award.

n Maj. Cindy Dohm received the Wing Personnel Officer of the Year.

n Maj. Joe Wilkins was awarded the Wing Professional Development Officer of the Year award.

n Lt. Col. Frank Damico and Maj. Cindy Dohm were also presented with a Wing Commander’s Commendation Award for their contributions to the Florida

Inspector General.

If you have ever visited the Marco Island Executive Airport you will easily see the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) 6,000 sq. ft. hangar and office spaces at the North end of the Airport. This is the CAP Marco Island Squadron base of operations in support of our community. CAP supports our local boaters, disaster relief, Homeland Security, Aerospace education, and Cadet Programs. Marco Squadron air crews fly the 10,000 Islands, as weather permits, looking for stranded boaters, lost kayaks, unreported fires, and suspicious activities.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with over 61,000 members nationwide, operating a fleet of 550 aircraft. CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary mode, performs over 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 54 lives in fiscal year 2011. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief, and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state, and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to nearly 27,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP received the World Peace Prize in 2011 and has been performing missions for America for 70 years. CAP also participates in Wreaths Across America, in initiative to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of U. S. military veterans. Visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com or www.capvolunteernow.com.