Cadet 2d Lt Derek Petrin receives the CAP Billy Mitchell Award

Shown L – R: Major David Isom, Commander, Group 221, Cadet 2d Lt Derek Petrin, Col. Steven Tracy, Commander, NJ Wing, and Major Steven Kiss, Commander, Lone Eagle Composite Squadron.

Recently, Cadet 2d Lt Derek Petrin, of the Lone Eagle Composite Squadron, was presented with his Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Billy Mitchell Award by Col. Steven Tracy, Commander, NJ Wing, at the Scout Cabin, Borough of Peapack-Gladstone, NJ. He is the son of 2d Lt and Mrs. Michael J Petrin of Long Valley, NJ.

At Lone Eagle, he served as the First Sergeant and Flight Sergeant and took part in squadron activities including Morris Plains parades, several color guards, Memorial Day ceremonies, and Wreaths Across America. He also serves his community with nursing home visits. His other interests include archery, fishing, biking and guitar.

The Billy Mitchell award, the second cadet milestone achievement, is earned after the successful completion of the first eight achievements of the cadet program. In addition to the achievements, the cadet must pass a comprehensive examination on aerospace and leadership, and attend Basic Encampment. Only about 15% of all Civil Air Patrol cadets achieve the Billy Mitchell Award.

Billy Mitchell Cadets who enlist in the U.S. Air Force are promoted to E-3 (airman first class) instead of E-1 (airman basic) upon completion of basic military training. Billy Mitchell cadets who enlist in the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps are promoted to E-2 instead of E-1 upon completion of basic military training. Likewise, Billy Mitchell cadets who enlist in the US Coast Guard are promoted to E-3 (seaman) instead of E-1 (seaman recruit) upon completion of boot camp.

The Lone Eagle Composite Squadron meets on Wednesday nights at the Scout Cabin, Borough of Peapack-Gladstone, NJ. 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, 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 or www.njwg.cap.gov for more information.