08/07/2006 – Cadet Capt. Zachary Bowen from the Mt. Airy Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol traveled to Camp Atterbury, Indiana July 23-Aug 5, to take part in CAP’s National Emergency Services Academy (NESA), a two-week Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) School offered annually, and developed to train CAP cadets and seniors for service as ground team members and leaders within their local squadrons. 

The Basic and Advanced GSAR courses at NESA give trainees the opportunity to learn and perform hands-on tasks in the field through participating in mock search and rescue exercises during day and evening hours. Students hone such skills as organizing search lines, site surveillance, prevention and treatment of injuries, locating distress beacons, determining aircraft and missing persons search clues, handling litter carries, and more.  Classroom instruction includes land navigation, natural hazards, radio operating procedures, and operational risk management.  Written exams are also a part of the academy.  Cadets passing the basic course become qualified to serve as ground team members.  Advanced course students receive training necessary for becoming ground team leaders.  In addition, courses are available for those interested in Incident Command, Mission Aircrew, and First Responder training.   

Bowen, 15, a third year NESA cadet, served as an assistant instructor for the advanced GSAR course during the first week, and primary instructor during week two.  His duties included mapping and compass instruction, teaching required tasks for advanced level GSAR certification, signing off on proper execution of tasks, and participating in the graduation GSAR exercises for each week’s course. 

According to Bowen, “There are advantages to attending NESA if you are interested in becoming ground team qualified. Cadets can benefit from this well organized activity which covers a long list of tasks in just one week.”  He adds, “Sometimes, within local squadrons, it can be difficult to pull together all of the equipment and human resources needed to get cadets trained efficiently.  At NESA people come from around the country, bringing their experience and materials.  With all of these resources in place, larger scale mock emergencies can be planned.  More realistic situations help reinforce the training, and students go home well prepared.”  

About the GSAR courses, he commented, “You’ll be tired, sore, and dirty when you’re through, but you’ll be glad you went.  You’ll come back ready to be part of a team that will serve our community, should an emergency arise.”   

CAP, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with more than 60,000 members nationwide. CAP volunteers perform 95 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state, and local agencies. 

Members take a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the almost 25,000 young people currently participating in the CAP Cadet Program. CAP's cadet programs provide young men and women with a safe and motivating environment in which to grow and explore opportunities in the military and aviation industries. CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 63 years. 

There are approximately 1,300 members of CAP in Maryland. Last fiscal year wing members flew 34 search and rescue missions and were credited with 23 finds. 

For information about NESA, you can visit their website at http://www.homestead.com/ngsar/home.html