Lone Eagle Composite Squadron, CAP, at Madison Bottle Hill Day

Members of the Lone Eagle Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol(CAP), hosted a recruiting booth at the Madison, NJ, annual fall festival, Bottle Hill Day, on Saturday, October 15. They included Capt Peter Hinge, Commander, C/A1C Jack Donnelly, C/Amn Byron Mendez, and leading the cadets was C/MSgt Alison Dutton who commented:

"CAP Members often joke that Civil Air Patrol is the greatest kept secret in the nation. I'm eager to change that by promoting the skills and knowledge I have learned through CAP."

Cadet MSgt Alison Dutton is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Dutton of Madison, NJ. She is in the 11th grade at Madison High School where she is a member of the Red Cross and Key Clubs. She also tutors underclassmen in physics. Within the Lone Eagle Composite Squadron, she participates in Cadet Orientation Flights, serves as a Cadet NCO leader, and recently gave a briefing on her summer activities which included a CT/NJ Wing Encampment, an US Air Force Academy Seminar, and an USCG Academy Introduction Mission(AIM) program.

Capt Hinge added that: “we were privileged to have the visit at our booth of Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill and State Sen Anthony Bucco who are both very supportive of Civil Air Patrol. It is our hope that this, our first-time presence at the festival, will help to increase the awareness and interest of the local community in CAP.”

Cadets under age 18 are eligible for five flights in a powered aircraft (usually a single-engine Cessna) in the co-pilot seat, five flights in a glider aircraft, and an unlimited number of backseat flights when available. Orientation flights are always free to cadets. In an associated Teacher Orientation Program for educators, annual orientation flights are also available. So, if interested in flying, come fly with us!

The Lone Eagle Composite Squadron meets on Wednesday nights, 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the Morristown National Guard Armory, NJ. Youth can start the cadet program at age twelve and adults can join as senior members starting at age 18. For more information about the Lone Eagle Composite Squadron, contact Capt J. Peter Hinge, Commander, at 201-590-5371 or jens.hinge@njwg.cap.gov. Also, see: www.loneeagle.org.

Established in 1941, Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and as such is a member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 555 single-engine aircraft and 2,250 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and performs about 90% of all search and rescue operations within the contiguous United States as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Often using innovative cellphone forensics and radar analysis software, CAP was credited by the AFRCC with saving 108 lives last year. CAP’s 58,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. As a nonprofit organization, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace education using national academic standards-based STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education resources. Members also serve as mentors to over 24,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs. For more information visit: www.CAP.News , www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com.