Document created: 20 November 03
Air University Review, September-October 1974

Civil Air Patrol 

the unknown player on the Air Force team

Major Barry L. Thompson

I am convinced that the key to the effectiveness of any organization is the dedication and professionalism of its people. As I begin my term as Chief of Staff, I do so with great confidence in all the people who make up the Air Force team—the active force, the Guard and Reserve, and our original ‘all-volunteer’ force, the Civil Air Patrol.

As you, the members of the Civil Air Patrol, complete your thirty-second year of service to our nation, I salute your contributions to the Air Force as well as to civil aviation. Your dedication and sacrifice in times of emergency or disaster are tributes to the spirit of your membership. The cadet program has for years been responsible for producing some of our most dedicated career airmen. As the growth of civil aviation for both business and pleasure continues to accelerate, the importance of your voluntary efforts takes on even greater significance.

I congratulate you for the fine record of achievements you have compiled in the past, and I look forward to your continuing support as we face the challenges of the future.

These are the words of Air Force Chief of Staff General George S. Brown in a letter to all Civil Air Patrol (CAP) members dated 27 August 1973. Although he describes CAP as part of the Air Force team, “our original ‘all-volunteer’ force,” how many Air Force people really know what support CAP offers to the Air Force and civil aviation? How many know that CAP has existed since 1941? Indeed, how many know that this group of 60,000 volunteers is the civilian auxiliary of the USAF and is, therefore, part of the Air Force team?

This article has one primary purpose—to provide information about CAP. While a general discussion of its history and organization is the point of departure, major emphasis is placed on CAP missions and how they benefit the Air Force and the nation. Some suggestions as to how the Air Force can make better use of its auxiliary, to the benefit of both, are offered in conclusion. The suggestions are made with full knowledge of the continuing force and budget reductions. In fact, it is this bleak outlook that argues for the maximum use of all players on the Air Force team, Civil Air Patrol included.

history and organization

CAP was created on 1 December 1941, one week before Pearl Harbor, as part of the Office of Civil Defense. The reason for its birth remains a backbone concept today—aid to others. Specifically, a group of general aviation people wanted to organize and volunteer their lightplane fleet in support of the developing national mobilization and thereby free military aircraft and personnel for higher-priority missions. During the war these civilian volunteers performed a variety of missions including coastal patrol, courier service, border patrol, search and rescue, and target towing.

An example of what the organization accomplished becomes evident from a brief examination of the coastal patrol mission. Using single-engine aircraft, CAP crews ranged out as far as 150 miles from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts searching for enemy submarines, ships in distress, and survivors of submarine attacks. During the 18 months of coastal surveillance operations in 1942 and 1943, CAP crews flew 244,600 hours, the equivalent of 24 million miles. They reported 173 enemy submarines and dropped 83 bombs and depth charges. They actually sank two submarines. But this accomplishment was not without sacrifice. Ninety aircraft were lost, and 26 airmen were killed.^l

CAP’S initial contact with the Air Force occurred in 1943, when CAP command jurisdiction shifted to the War Department and control was assigned to the Army Air Corps. As a result of this change, a new mission was added to those already being performed: aviation cadet recruiting. Fortunately, a pool of potential cadets existed within the organization because Civil Air Patrol had established its own cadet program in 1942. By 1944 CAP efforts resulted in an oversupply of aviation cadets.²

After the war, Congress formalized the CAP organization and its relationship with the Air Force by two public laws. In 1946 Public Law 476, 79th Congress, incorporated the body as a benevolent nonprofit organization, and it remains today a civilian corporation rather than a military organization. The same act established three primary missions for CAP: emergency services, the cadet program, and aerospace education. In 1948 Public Law 557, 80th Congress, as amended, established CAP as the civilian auxiliary of the Air Force and authorized the Secretary of the Air Force to extend aid to the organization. It is important to note that the Air Force does not control CAP. It does support CAP in a liaison and advisory capacity. This act is the basis for Air Force personnel being assigned to CAP duty, reimbursement of certain expenses to CAP personnel, and Air Force use of CAP in fulfilling the AF noncombat mission.

CAP is organized generally along Air Force lines. It is composed of nearly 2000 units, including squadrons, groups, wings, and regions. National Headquarters, known as CAP-USAF, is located at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. The eight regions report directly to Maxwell, and each is responsible for several wings. There are 52 wings, one in each state plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Groups are an administrative echelon and function between wing headquarters and the squadrons. As in the Air Force, the operational unit in CAP (where the troops are and where the job gets done) is the squadron. The vast majority of units, about 1700, are grassroots squadrons.

All CAP members, including corporate officers, are volunteers. Members are either cadets or seniors, depending on age. Cadets are between the ages of 13 and 18; seniors are 18 or over. Membership is open to male and female U.S. citizens who meet a few simple requirements. Total CAP membership is 60,000 (35,000 seniors and 25,000 cadets), all of whom pay dues for the privilege of serving in this totally volunteer organization.

Most income to operate CAP at all levels comes from membership dues. Dues vary, depending on the unit and type of membership, cadet or senior. Actual total cost to each member varies with his degree of participation in the program.

The CAP national leadership is a combination of CAP corporate officers and the Air Force personnel who staff the National Headquarters. The senior corporate officer, the Chairman of the Board, functions much like the chairman of any large corporation. The Air Force leader and link between the two groups is a USAF senior officer, usually of general rank. He serves in a dual capacity as the National Commander of CAP, a corporate position, and as commander of all Air Force personnel assigned to Civil Air Patrol duty. His authority in the former role stems entirely from the constitution and bylaws of the CAP corporation. He is, in fact, the administrator of the corporation.

This organization requires a close relationship between the two groups. Corporate officers meet several times a year to establish policy and conduct corporate business. National Headquarters develops programs and guidance for the membership in accordance with corporate and Air Force policy. It is responsible for all Air Force personnel assigned CAP duty either at the headquarters or in the liaison office structure. 

In addition to his own people, each CAP region and wing commander is assisted by an AF liaison officer and small AF staff. Their function is to advise and assist the CAP commander and provide liaison between CAP and Air Force and other governmental agencies. They also visit CAP units at all levels. Often they are the only direct contact between CAP personnel and the Air Force, and as such they perform the vital task of providing visual evidence of Air Force interest and support for the CAP program.

Many Air Force Reserve personnel are also involved with CAP through the Reserve Assistance Program (RAP). Currently, some 800 Reservists, officers and enlisted, are contributing to the Air Force mission through this program. RAP personnel assist CAP commanders by providing military expertise and a pool of skilled manpower to further CAP programs. This program also provides the Reservist an opportunity to participate in short active duty tours and earn points toward promotion and retirement.

Each of the three missions of CAP—emergency services, the cadet program, and aerospace education—provides benefit and additional capability for the Air Force.

emergency services

The emergency services mission was a principal factor in the birth of CAP. Today, as during World War II, CAP participation in this activity frees military aircraft and personnel to be used for other purposes. Over the years the mission has grown in scope and now consists of three distinct sub-missions: search and rescue, natural disaster assistance, and civil defense support.

It is in the search and rescue (SAR) areas that benefit to the Air Force is most visible. The National SAR Plan assigns responsibility for coordinating this mission in the continental United States to the Air Force.³ The Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (ARRS), with headquarters at Scott AFB, Illinois, is the Air Force executive agent for the mission. However, ARRS aircraft are primarily based along the coasts, and therefore it is not possible to deploy them quickly to inland areas. Also ARRS aircraft are few in number, with overriding commitments to uniquely military missions, and thus they are seldom available to aid SAR efforts for civil losses. Enter the Civil Air Patrol. CAP is the world’s largest volunteer civilian SAR organization.⁴ The CAP has been largely instrumental in the success, on the working level, of the national SAR plan for the continental United States and Alaska.⁵ About 80 percent of all hours flown on SAR missions in those areas are flown by CAP.⁶

There are several reasons for this, but the key factor is cost. The costs of maintaining an active duty search force are many and varied. They start with acquisition, operations, and maintenance costs for the large fleet of small aircraft that would be necessary for this type of work. Range and speed constraints would make it impractical to deploy these aircraft from central points in time of need. In any SAR mission, fast response is critical. Case histories indicate that the life expectancy of injured survivors decreases as much as 80 percent the first 24 hours following an accident. ⁷ This establishes the requirement for a large number of dispersed operating locations, preferably in remote areas, where aircraft crashes are not immediately seen. The costs of supporting such a network on a full-time basis are obvious and prohibitive. Replacing the thousands of CAP pilots with an equal number of active duty second lieutenants would cost millions of dollars a year in salaries alone. And such a permanent SAR force would be economically unsound. Because of the low SAR incident rate in many states each year, long periods of inactivity are certain. In 1973, for example, no missions occurred in three states.⁸

Yet 1973 statistics also reflect the large total effort expended on the SAR task by CAP, whose aircrews flew 27,284 hours in 13,992 sorties. A total of 154 objectives were located during the 429 missions. The Air Force credited these efforts with directly saving 48 human lives.⁹

The reliance on CAP to accomplish this mission is one of the best bargains in Air Force history—a small investment that produces consistently large dividends. A search in January 1971 provided the opportunity to verify the advantages of the arrangement. The loss of an F-111D resulted in a gigantic joint search effort—2300 hours flown by CAP, 1200 hours by USAF. The cost of Air Force participation was $400 per flying hour. This figure includes personnel costs plus fuel and maintenance for an array of aircraft ranging from the O-2 to F-4, C-47 to HC-130.¹⁰ By contrast, cost to the Air Force for SAR participation by CAP averages about $10 per flying hour, covering only reimbursement for certain expenses accrued during the missions: fuel and lubricants for corporate and member-owned aircraft and vehicles, communications, etc. In the four-year period 1970-1973, CAP flew 105,400 hours in direct support of the SAR mission. At $400 per hour this would have cost the Air Force more than $42 million. Instead, reimbursement to CAP amounted to slightly over $1 million, a savings to the Air Force of about $41 million.

But reimbursement to the CAP member covers only a small fraction of his actual costs when he participates in a search. Aircraft owners have costs such as engine, airframe, and avionics maintenance that are not covered. Members receive no reimbursement for wages lost while away from the job and no per diem to cover the cost of food, lodging, or even babysitting fees while away from home.

In addition to the SAR mission, the Air Force has responsibility to provide aid to requesting civil authorities in the event of disasters resulting from floods, hurricanes, snowstorms, etc. Requests for such aid are channeled to one of three Air Force Reserve Region headquarters in the United States. CAP again plays a major role as it is often the AF representative closest to the problem. Aerial surveillance, airlift of supplies and personnel, communications support, and disciplined manpower are the capabilities usually provided. In June 1972 during disastrous floods in six states following Hurricane Agnes, CAP volunteers put in 11,000 man-days of work, assisting in rescue work, distributing relief supplies, providing communications, and cleaning up when the floods subsided. In 1973 floods along the Mississippi River and its tributaries resulted in over 3000 man-days of similar effort by CAP.

The third part of the emergency services mission is support for civil defense. In the event of a nuclear war, CAP has the capability to perform an airborne radiological monitoring function in addition to the tasks accomplished during natural disaster situations. In both cases CAP provides the “air arm” for the civil officials responsible for coordinating recovery efforts. AF reimbursement of CAP expenses in either case is on the same basis as for the search and rescue operation. In addition, CAP has negotiated mutual support agreements with the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army that provide similar reimbursement arrangements for local disasters that do not require Air Force participation.

The move by CAP to strengthen its disaster support activities in recent years is a big plus for the Air Force. The average citizen is not directly affected or interested when CAP is looking for a lost aircraft. Many people have never flown, so the problem is just not “close to home.” However, when the local river is literally lapping at the front door or a tornado has just roared down the street, the person’s interest is immediate and acute. The rapid appearance of Civil Air Patrol personnel and equipment is noted, appreciated, and remembered. For all intents and purposes, CAP personnel in an Air Force type of uniform are the Air Force. The public relations benefits of such actions cannot be quantified, but neither can they be ignored.

The Civil Air Patrol capability to handle the emergency services mission is impressive. All 60,000 members, senior and cadet, are available. Of the 35,000 seniors 18,000 are pilots. CAP possesses some 6200 aircraft, about half the number of the Air Force. Of these, 800 are corporate-owned, and 5400 are member-owned. The ground equipment consists of 2800 corporate-owned vehicles and several thousand more that are member-owned. Operations are linked by about 17,000 radio stations. This communications network, two-thirds of it mobile, provides CAP with a unique capability. If necessary, CAP can accomplish all communications requirements with this nationwide system. It is the only emergency services organization in the country that can operate independently of established military or commercial networks.¹¹

Much CAP equipment is government excess property. Virtually all property acquired in this way requires extensive renovation to return it to operational condition. This is costly, and expenses are climbing because the military is retaining property for longer periods prior to making it available. Thirty-eight recently acquired T-41A aircraft cost Civil Air Patrol an average of $3800 each to refurbish to Federal Aviation Agency standards. In countless cases necessary funds have been donated by members in order to make equipment operational quickly. Individuals have paid to have radios rebuilt, vehicles repaired, and aircraft overhauled.

The CAP emergency services capability represents a significant resource to the Air Force and the nation. While activities in this area always are well publicized, the other mission areas of CAP are no less important despite a lack of media coverage.

cadet program

The cadet program is designed to develop aerospace-oriented leaders from the nation’s youth. The goal is attained through a balanced training program that permits all cadets to

—develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for understanding the total impact of air and space vehicles upon society

—learn self-discipline through study of leadership practices and military training

—face moral issues of our time through discussion and debate

—become and remain physically fit through a special aerobics program.¹²

Cadets progress through a series of 15 achievements, each of which encompasses these four factors. Progress is rewarded by increases in cadet rank, presentation of ribbons and certificates, eligibility for nationally sponsored special activities, and eligibility to compete for academic scholarships and grants.

Cadets are assigned to squadrons staffed by senior members whose function is to guide and assist them through the program. Those senior members who work with cadets have accepted the toughest challenge in Civil Air Patrol. They have accepted a responsibility to help shape the emerging youth of the nation. While such a task inevitably results in some frustrations, it also offers the opportunity for contributions of incalculable value to the cadet generation.

As cadets progress in the program, they become eligible for various summer activities. Each year several thousand cadets become better acquainted with the Air Force during a one-week encampment on an Air Force base. This is a unique opportunity for the Air Force to show these potential volunteers what the Air Force is all about. These encampments should specifically answer for each cadet the question, “What does the Air Force offer to me?”

Other cadets compete to attend additional activities sponsored by the Air Force and the Federal Aviation Agency. These activities acquaint cadets with the operating Air Force and orient them toward careers in aerospace. The most sought-after prize is the International Air Cadet Exchange, a one-month program to foster international understanding, goodwill, and fellowship. Last year about 200 cadets visited 21 foreign countries, and an equal number of aviation-minded young people from those countries visited the United States.

An obvious direct benefit to the Air Force from the cadet program has been mentioned: it is a source of personnel. Young people joining the cadet program demonstrate interest in aerospace, the acceptance of a military-type uniform, and willingness to participate in a quasi-military organization. Many cadets pass to the ranks of either the enlisted or officer corps. Over six percent of the current Air Force Academy student body are former CAP cadets.¹³ In the context of the all-volunteer military, the importance of this source of AF members cannot be overemphasized. With no draft threat hanging over their heads, today’s youth must really want to join the Air Force. The CAP cadet corps, together with the Air Force Junior ROTC, provides fertile territory for recruiting such a dedicated group of volunteers.

aerospace education

The goal of the aerospace education program is to develop in all citizens a knowledgeable awareness of their aerospace world. Specifically, the objective is to create an understanding of the need for a strong national aerospace commitment. Within CAP the aerospace education program is particularly directed toward the cadet membership. This portion of the cadet program consists of instruction covering such areas of study as principles of flight, navigation, and meteorology; the technological and sociological aspects of the aviation community; space technology; and an understanding of our aerospace heritage.

The CAP scholarship program provides another avenue of approach toward the basic goal. Each year CAP awards scholarships to cadets studying in aerospace-related career fields. Sixty-seven cadets received scholarships in 1973.

Outside the organization, the aerospace education goal is pursued through the established education system, with efforts focused in selected areas. In order to generate understanding within the professional education community, a series of university/college-level workshops is held each summer in addition to in-service programs within school systems. Teachers attending these programs enhance their knowledge of aerospace and explore the most current methods of orienting youth toward aviation and space. In the past ten years, over 100,000 teachers have completed a workshop. In 1973 Civil Air Patrol cooperated with and supported about 175 workshops with an estimated attendance of over 15,000 teachers and educational leaders.¹⁴

Another major area of interest is curriculum development. CAP has produced a variety of training materials to support aerospace education elective courses in junior and senior high school. In addition, CAP promotes the use of aerospace subject matter as a teaching vehicle, as enrichment material, and for career education in the elementary grades. While it is difficult to measure the results of these programs in quantifiable terms, it is certain that 1500 high schools taught an aerospace education elective course in 1973. Not all used CAP-developed materials, but certainly most of the courses were taught by teachers who were motivated by CAP-sponsored aerospace education workshops.

The aerospace education program benefits the Air Force in two ways. Because most CAP members are civilians, the membership itself becomes a valuable nucleus of support for Air Force objectives. Then, by spreading the word to other portions of the civilian community, they enlarge the impact. A point to remember is that the Chief of Staff has asked all Air Force members to help do the same thing—develop understanding within the civilian community for a strong Air Force.¹⁵ CAP has been doing this since 1946.

cost vs. benefit

While much has been said about benefits to the Air Force from Civil Air Patrol, little has been said about specific costs to the Air Force to support its auxiliary. In fiscal year 1973, support to CAP cost the Air Force more than $6 million. Costs for Air Force military and civilian personnel assigned to CAP-USAF represent more than 75 percent of this total. A little more than half a million dollars was used for reimbursement to CAP members for emergency services expenses. The remainder represents operating costs of the CAP-USAF structure.¹⁶

Only one direct comparison of these costs to the benefits received is possible: By performing the search and rescue mission, CAP has induced savings to the Air Force of about $10 million in operating expenses each year for the past four years. In FY 73 that represents a saving of $4 million when compared to costs. However, this figure is only a small part of the total benefit to the Air Force. If the Air Force had to perform the emergency services mission itself, costs for establishing, training, and maintaining the necessary force must be added. In addition, while it is impossible to assess the benefits from the cadet and aerospace education programs, they do exist and are substantial. Total cost for all this in FY 73 was $6 million.

Can CAP help you? Can you help CAP?

Given that CAP represents significant benefits to the Air Force and also given that the military continues in a personnel and budget squeeze, how can Air Force units support CAP? There are several ways. One way is to understand and comply with existing Air Force policy concerning CAP contained in the 46 series of Air Force regulations. For example, AFR 46-4 states that “the Commander of each Air Force installation will designate an officer who, in addition to his other duties, will assist in effecting. . . cooperation and assistance” to CAP.¹⁷ Having an active, energetic appointee in this position will result in the development of closer relations between the Air Force and CAP and certainly aid the commander in his efforts to implement General Brown’s call for closer Air Force-civilian ties.

One USAF captain’s performance in this role shows what can be done. Appointed with no prior CAP experience, he immediately made contact with the local CAP units to “get his feet on the ground.” He arranged for flights and base tours for cadets, got radios and movie projectors repaired, got training aids and photos developed, and induced other officers to act as classroom instructors. CAP personnel kept him briefed as to their activities and emergency services missions so that the base commander could be apprised of programs and progress. The captain’s efforts benefited both the Air Force and the Civil Air Patrol.

AFR 46-5 provides additional guidance. This regulation outlines various functions CAP may perform in direct support of Air Force installations. Recently the commander of Reese AFB, Texas, negotiated an agreement with the local CAP organization to provide base rescue service after his assigned aircraft were withdrawn.

Another way to help is by actively seeking methods to support CAP. Two recent incidents involving civil engineer Prime BEEF teams typify what can be done. In Nebraska a team moved an old schoolhouse five miles to an airport where a CAP unit converted it to a squadron headquarters. In Washington a team helped repair an emergency services training facility. Opportunities such as these are numberless. The use of scheduled flights with space available can provide CAP cadets with a long-sought-after orientation ride in an AF aircraft. “Third Lieutenant” type orientation programs are another possibility. Support in repairing or painting vehicles and aircraft is another productive area.

Finally, every base should host at least one CAP unit. Currently, fewer than 30 percent of the major AF bases in the U.S. do this.¹⁸ Although building space continues at a premium on most bases, the status of CAP as part of the Air Force and the importance of its mission argue that every effort should be made to find the required space. A home on an Air Force base provides strong visible evidence to CAP members and civilians that the Air Force supports the CAP mission.

Implicit in each of these suggestions is a key concept: the need for Air Force recognition and appreciation of CAP efforts. Thousands of members volunteer their time, effort, and money to support the ideals of CAP because they believe in its mission. They wear essentially the Air Force uniform and consider themselves a part of the Air Force team. In return they ask for some occasional help and some encouragement from the full-time team partner.

WHAT, then, is Civil Air Patrol to the Air Force? CAP is an Air Force interface with the civilian world, and in many remote corners of the country it is the Air Force. It is a group of dedicated, disciplined volunteer civilians helping the Air Force fulfill its emergency services responsibilities in the most efficient, cost-effective manner possible. It is a group of responsible adults helping to develop the aerospace-oriented leadership of tomorrow from the youth of today. It is a group of citizens of altruistic motives, in step with the Air Force, asking to serve in an age of generally unfavorable feeling toward the military.

CAP is a player on the Air Force team.

Air Command and Staff College

Notes

1. Civil Air Patrol Manual 190-1, Information Officer’s Handbook (Maxwell AFB, Alabama: National Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol, April 1970), p. 14-7.

2. Ibid.

3. Air Force Manual 64-2, National Search and Rescue Manual (Washington: Department of the Air Force, 1 July 1973), Appendix A, “National Search and Rescue Plan—1969,” para 6c (hereafter cited as AFM 64-2).

4. Brigadier General Leslie J. Westberg, USAF, National Commander, Civil Air Patrol, speech given 14 October 1973 at CAP National Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada.

5. AFM 64-2, para 212b(l) (b).

6. Brigadier General Leslie J. Westberg, USAF, National Commander, Civil Air Patrol, speech given 6 December 1973 at Chicago, Illinois.

7. AFM 64-2, para 732a.

8. Civil Air Patrol Report to Congress 1974 (approved but not yet published text) (Maxwell AFB, Alabama: National Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol, February 1974), (hereafter cited as 1974 Report to Congress).

9. Civil Air Patrol News, “CAP Missions in ‘73 Net 48 Lives Saved” (Maxwell AFB, Alabama: National Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol), vol. 6, no. 2 (February 1974), p. 1.

10. Interview with Major John C. Cody, USAF Mission Coordinator, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 28 November 1973.

11. Interview with Lieutenant Colonel William T. Capers III, Director of Information, National Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 10 January 1974 (hereafter cited as Capers interview).

12. 1974 Report to Congress.

13. Telephone conversation with Captain Boyle, USAF Academy, Office of Information, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 11 January 1974.

14. 1974 Report to Congress.

15. General George S. Brown, “A Message from the Chief of Staff,” Air Force Policy Letter for Commanders, 15 November 1973.

16. Interview with Major Patrick E. O’Reilly, DCS/Comptroller, National Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 28 December 1973.

17. Air Force Regulation 46-4, Civil Air Patrol, Auxiliary of the Air Force (Washington: Department of the Air Force, 13 February 1956), para 9b.

18. Capers interview.

Contributor

Major Barry L. Thompson (M.B.A., University of Missouri) is a faculty instructor, Air Command and Staff College. Much of his career has been in the SAC ICBM program. Following 5 years as a Civil Air Patrol cadet, he served in squadron, group, and wing positions for a total of almost 20 years. He was Commander, Nebraska Wing, 1971-73, and holds the grade of CAP colonel. Major Thompson is a graduate of Squadron Officer School and Air Command and Staff College.