Cadet Capt. Derek Petrin, CAP, receives the Amelia Earhart Award

Shown L – R: siblings, Mrs. Petrin, 2d Lt Michael Petrin, father, Col Joe Abegg, NJ Wing Commander, Cadet Captain Derek Petrin, and Major Judith Bascone, Squadron Commander, Lone Eagle Composite Squadron.

Recently, Cadet Captain Derek Petrin, of the Lone Eagle Composite Squadron, was presented with his Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Amelia Earhart Award by Col Joe Abegg, NJ Wing Commander, at the Morristown National Guard Armory. He is the son of 2d Lt and Mrs. Michael J. Petrin of Long Valley, NJ.

At Lone Eagle, he has served as the Cadet Commander, Executive Officer, First Sergeant, and Flight Sergeant and participated in squadron activities including Memorial Day parades, color guards, ceremonies, and in Wreaths Across America. He also has served his community with nursing home visits. His other interests include archery, fishing, and guitar.

The Amelia Earhart Award is the third cadet milestone achievement award and is earned after successful completion of the first eleven achievements of the cadet program. In addition to the achievements, the cadet must pass a comprehensive examination on aerospace and leadership on top of a demanding physical fitness test. Less than 3% of the Civil Air Patrol cadets earn this award.

The Lone Eagle Composite Squadron meets on Wednesday nights at the Morristown National Guard Armory, 430 Western Ave, Morristown, NJ. Youth can start the cadet program at age twelve. For more information about the Lone Eagle Composite Squadron, contact Major Judith Bascone, Commander, at 973-876-2309 or Judith.Bascone@njwg.cap.gov Also, see: www.loneeagle.org.

Civil Air Patrol, the longtime all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary, is the newest member of the Air Force’s Total Force. In this role, CAP operates a fleet of 560 aircraft, 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 80 lives annually. CAP’s 60,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. In addition, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace/STEM education, and its members serve as mentors to over 25,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs. Visit www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com, www.CAP.news, or www.njwg.cap.gov for more information.