Burke Civil Air Patrol Cadets Win State Competition

BURKE, VA — Civil Air Patrol’s Burke Composite Squadron team won first place in the Virginia Wing Cadet Competition on Sunday, Feb. 16. The winning team gets to represent Virginia in the Mid-Atlantic region competition in May.

Five squadrons participated at the Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol Headquarters in Richmond. Teams competed in presenting the colors — the United States and Civil Air Patrol flags — as well as in physical fitness, uniform inspections, color guard drill, element drill, and an academic exam on leadership and aerospace current events. The Joint Base Langley-Eustis Honor Guard judged the teams based on how well they followed regulations while completing the activities.

According to a statement from the Burke Composite Squadron, "The Burke squadron and its nearly 60 members rank among the top-performing units in the country, and its cadet program is in the top 10% of all squadrons nationwide, having been recognized the last two years in a row with the Quality Cadet Unit Award."

Civil Air Patrol, the volunteer-based auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, has six
squadrons in Northern Virginia. The squadrons perform Air Force-assigned emergency and disaster relief missions and STEM education activities as chartered by Congress.

The Burke squadron is largely made up of members from southern Fairfax County, including Burke, Springfield, Mount Vernon area, Franconia, Fort Belvoir, Lorton, Fairfax Station, Clifton and Fairfax. As a composite squadron, it has senior members (adults) and cadets (teens).

For more information, visit burke.vawg.cap.gov.