Local Civil Air Patrol squadron supports VIP American Legion annual banquet

March 2016. Baltimore, Md. The Dewey Loman American Legion Post 109 held the 2016 National Central District Reception on March 12, 2016, honoring the American Legion Maryland Department Commander, Lew Trott. At the request of the Legion Post, Maryland Wing Fort McHenry Squadron officers and cadets provided support services to U. S. military veterans, their spouses and guest who attended this annual event. The Legion District Commander, Fred Rock, the Commander Sons of the American Legion, Jeffrey Seiler and the Maryland Department Auxiliary President, Doris Reynolds were among the distinguished guests.

Cadets joined by staff from Tablefield Catering prepared the hall and tables with attention to detail. Each table was laid out neatly with two forks, one knife, two plates and one program. Each chair was placed directly across from another chair and each table hosted eight chairs spaced exactly 2 feet away from the table. The cadets related to the exactness of the setup as they had experienced similar precision requirements when building their ribbon racks and standing in formation.

Cadet Airman 1st Class Ellen Fenema and Cadet Airman Emma Hollis welcomed and registered attendees and guests. As the Legion members arrived, they also were greeted by squadron officers serving appetizers and providing a courteous welcome.

A Legion membership meeting was held following the registration and appetizer welcome. During the meeting Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Seidell and Cadet Senior Airman Timothy Fenema cleared tables in preparation for the banquet meal which was subsequently served by all the Ft. McHenry members. During and after the meal cadets were familiarized with the elaborate mechanism used to wash dishes and utensils used by the banquet attendees. Cadets anxiously ‘jump in’ vying be the first to use the apparatus.

At the end of the day, the American Legion members expressed their appreciation for the hard work performed by the Fort McHenry Squadron cadets and officers. “We appreciate their professionalism and attention to detail. The CAP and the Ft. McHenry squadron should be proud of the officers and cadets’ contributions to making this reception a success,” said Dick Paranto, Post Adjutant. Paul Dongorra of Tablefield Catering, also thanked the squadron members for a “Job Well Done!”

This is one of the many community service projects that the squadron participates in throughout the year. Fort McHenry Squadron Commander, Col. Steven Hollis, recognized the contribution squadron members had made to the success of the Legion reception. He noted that their prompt response to accommodating the request for support, placed by the Legion less than a week before the event, helped showcase the squadron’s flexibility and the willingness for its members to be involved in their community. Hollis emphasized, “Giving back to the community is a major part of the Civil Air Patrol.”

The Fort McHenry Squadron meets weekly on Wednesdays from 7 – 9 PM at the American Legion Post 109, 1610 Old Sulphur Spring Road, Arbutus, Maryland 21227. Prospective cadets, ages 12 to 18 and their parents are always welcome. Adults seeking volunteer opportunities are invited as well. Visit the squadron’s website at http://www.ftmchenrycap.org/.

Nearly 1,600 CAP members serve in Maryland. Last year wing members flew 13 search and rescue missions. The wing was credited with four finds. Maryland Wing flew 32 missions for the State of Maryland. Members flew 2,245 hours in all mission categories. Volunteers contributed services estimated at 4.6 million dollars. For more information, contact the Maryland Wing at www.mdcap.org, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MarylandWingCivilAirPatrol and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWGCAP.

Civil Air Patrol, the longtime all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary, is the newest member of the Air Force’s Total Force, which consists of regular Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, along with Air Force retired military and civilian employees. CAP, in its Total Force role, operates a fleet of 550 aircraft and performs about 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 78 lives annually. Civil Air Patrol’s 56,000 members nationwide also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. Its members additionally play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 24,000 young people currently participating in the CAP cadet program. Performing missions for America for the past 75 years, CAP received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014 in honor of the heroic efforts of its World War II veterans. CAP also participates in Wreaths Across America, an initiative to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. Visit www.capvolunteernow.com for more information.

Article by: Alice Raatjes, Captain, Public Affairs Officer, Group II, with submission from Eugene Nash IV, C/Capt, Fort McHenry Composite Squadron, Maryland Wing, Civil Air Patrol. Photo credit, Ft. McHenry Squadron.

Pictured:

Pictured L-R, Airman 1st Class Ellen Fenema and Cadet Airman Emma Hollis registering guests.

Pictured L-R, Cadet Emma Hollis & C/CMSgt Timothy Seidell helping out in the kitchen.

Pictured L-R, C/Amn Ellyn Fennema, Cadet Emma Hollis using the dish washer with C/2d Lt Audrey Hollis.