Civil Air Patrol Brings Rocketry to Carmel

Civil Air Patrol’s Putnam County Composite Squadron hosted a thrilling model rocket build and launch event on June 2 at the Paladin Center in Carmel, New York.

Cadets from the 399th Composite Squadron in Danbury, Connecticut, joined the Putnam County Composite Squadron in Carmel for a fun filled day building and launching model rockets. Family and friends attended the joint squadron event led by Aerospace Education Officers Major Ralph Langham (NY033) and First Lieutenant Mike Nolan (CT042).

Attendees spent the morning exploring the aerodynamics of flight, building model rockets, installing engines and recovery parachutes in preparation to the upcoming launch. After a well-deserved break and barbeque lunch, cadets headed with anticipation to the launch area. Rockets of various-sizes rose off launch pads, some reaching 1,100 feet before drifting back to earth on chutes. By days end cadets agreed they’d experienced an exciting day of learning and clearly enjoyed the camaraderie between the two squadrons.

Civil Air Patrol’s aerospace education lessons help cadets apply math and science principles to real-world phenomena, as well as encouraging students to explore career possibilities in the field. It’s one element of the CAP Cadet Program which also includes leadership training to help youth develop management aptitude, character education lessons to build moral fortitude, and physical fitness to develop a healthy physical and mental lifestyle. All-volunteer officers of the nonprofit organization mentor and inspire cadets to reach their potential.

Members of the Putnam County Composite Squadron meet on Friday’s from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Paladin Center, 39 Seminary Hill Road, Carmel, NY. For additional information about cadet or senior member programs visit www.facebook.com/PutnamCountyCompositeSquadron or contact Captain Elena MacDermant at (845) 216-5433 or email elenamac@aol.com.

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 or www.CAP.news for more information.