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Our Country's and Aviation's Best-Kept Secret
CIVIL AIR PATROL
Auxiliary of the United States Air Force
THE NEVADA WING of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a volunteer organization that provides a wide range of services to the citizens of the State of Nevada. These services include Search and Rescue (SAR), Counter Drug (CD) support, Disaster Relief (DR) and emergency transport of blood and live organs.
 Under SAR, the Nevada Wing provides aircraft for air search, vehicles for ground search, and trained crews with administrative basis support for the execution of the mission. The same resources are available for the CD, DR, and transport missions. The DR missions include aerial reconnaissance and transport for fire fighting, flood and earthquake relief, as well as radiological incidents. The emergency transport of blood and live organs are accomplished on an on-call basis to and from the many remote communities in the state that are not covered by commercial services and where ground transport would be excessively long.
CAP is a private nonprofit corporation and by congressional charter is the auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. The eight CAP geographical regions are composed of 52 wings—one for each state, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Wings are divided into groups, squadrons, and flights for a total of 1,900 units and more than 52,000 members. Air Force liaison staff is assigned to CAP regions to advise and support. CAP Corporation and members own and operate more than 5,000 light aircraft, the world's largest civilian fleet, and volunteers fly about 130,000 hours each year on CAP missions. National Headquarters is located at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and there a corporate staff supports the membership in aerospace education, cadet programs, emergency services, finance, human resources and marketing. Officially CAP was founded in December 1941, a week before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor by over 150,000 citizens concerned about the defense of America's coastline. But earlier, in the late 1930s, the legendary New Jersey aviation advocate Gill Robb Wilson foresaw aviation's role in war, oncoming wartime restrictions on private flying, and general aviation's potential to supplement America's unprepared military.
With the efforts of Mr. Wilson and supported by Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold the new Civil Air Patrol became official on Dec. 1, 1941, just days before Pearl Harbor. In 1943, CAP was assigned to the War Department under the jurisdiction of the Army Air Force. Assisting the War Department, CAP pilots flew over one-half million hours, were credited with sinking two enemy submarines, and rescued hundreds of crash survivors during WWII. On July 1, 1946, President Truman established CAP as a federally charted benevolent civilian corporation. On May 26, 1948, Congress passed Public Law 557, which made CAP the auxiliary of the new United States Air Force.
During WWII CAP pilots were initially intended as liaison pilots and to apprehend infiltrators on the east coast and the southern border. The espionage threat was no idle war rumor. German infiltrators had been dropped by submarine along the coast on Long Island, at Jacksonville, Fla.
 CAP found it's most heroic mission early in 1942: facing the onslaught of enemy submarines devastating strategic shipping off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Gasoline and oil shortages grew and vital war supplies for Europe were nearly choked off as enemy subs operated within sight of the beach. Tankers and freighters were going to the bottom in record numbers some 42 in March, 1942, alone. American had entered the war with meager maritime defenses on the East Coast. With a meager Coast Guard contingent, and a small amount of Air Force planes available to patrol our 1200 miles of coast line, and the wartime ban on private flying with in 150 miles of the coast, some 40,000 patriotic volunteers signed up with the CAP. Among them were over-age WWI fliers, aviation heroes and Hollywood celebrities.
The feats and accomplishments of CAP during WWII and since can fill volumes for this top flight, well organized, "Best kept secret."
I interviewed Capt. Charles R. McCarty, Wing Public Affairs Officer. He provided me with most of the information about CAP and answered my questions.
BR) What are the requirements for joining the CAP organization?
CCRM) Requirements are not stringent. CAP is a volunteer organization, under the auspices of the United States Air Force. For cadets the minimum age is 12 or 6th grade to 21. From 18 to 21 cadets have the option to become a senior member. We accept people of all abilities, but they must be an U.S. citizen and pass an F.B.I. checkout. Military experience is not required.
BR) What are the basic duties of the members?
CCRM) Volunteers are asked what they would like to do, what is their interest. Positions are in information assistance, ham operators, in our communication system—which is the largest in the U.S. 50 states, qualified pilots, and mechanics. We can always find a comfortable spot for any volunteer.
BR) Is there any type of monetary remuneration for the volunteer's work?
CCRM) On the state level everybody is a non-paid member. Air Force reps are paid. On missions fuel and oil are re-imbursed. Each member pays meals, lodging and uniforms, but it is tax deducted.
BR) How does CAP obtain the equipment and planes they use?
CCRM) We have over 500 corp. aircraft, Cessna 172s & 182s, the largest fleet in the country. Members supply their own aircraft. Maintenance is mainly handled by American West mechanics at maintenance facilities on the field at our station at the North Las Vegas Airport.
BR) Where does the major funding come from?
CCRM) The Army Air Force. We have 13 squadrons in our state and area, with three in Las Vegas, one in Reno, one in Carson City, one in Yerrington, one each in Elko, Winnemucca, Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Ely and two in California.
BR) Just review the basic purpose of CAP.
CCRM) Search and rescue, organ and blood transporting, support and help in disaster relief areas, and transport quickly needed supplies.
"We also have special celebration functions for awards, commendations and promotions. We even have social gatherings like picnic and pot luck parties," said Capt. Charles McCarty. "My wife and sons are also members of CAP with ranks of Capt."
For more information with regard to joining up with CAP you can contact Capt. Charles McCarty at (702) 459-5385 or visit their Web site www.nvwg.cap.gov. Not only is there a cadet and adult program, but also senior citizens comprise a large part of the CAP. 
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