Alexandria Civil Air Patrol cadets give back to senior community

Written by: C/Lt Col Kurt Finkenstaedt, CAP

In modern society, senior citizens are often forgotten, seemingly abandoned to retirement homes and senior centers. Cadets from Civil Air Patrol’s Challenger 1 Cadet Squadron, however, have made it a part of their mission to regularly meet with their good friends at Greenspring Retirement Community. These cadets were a welcome relief from the doldrums of retirement living, as they would socialize over shared stories and mutual interests, eventually forming friendships and a lasting bond with the residents. One resident in particular stands out vividly in the hearts of the cadets— 1st Lt. Elizabeth Haynes, who also is a member of Challenger 1. 1st Lt. Haynes has deep roots running throughout both Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and the DC metropolitan area, and is regarded as the soul of the squadron. Through her, cadets were given a golden opportunity to establish their relationship, and eventual friendships, with the residents at Greenspring.

In 1942, 1st Lt. Haynes joined Civil Air Patrol as a high school student, where she enthusiastically participated as a cadet until her graduation in 1944. Following graduation, she lived a life characterized by service, volunteering to be a nurse with the Cadet Nurse Corps. She continued her studies at George Washington University, where she majored in Mathematics and minored Chemistry. In 1950, she achieved that goal and graduated with a Bachelors of Science (B.S.). Continuing her commitment to service, 1st Lt. Haynes attended Air Force Officer Candidate School and was commissioned in 1951. In the US Air Force (USAF), she was sent to MIT to attend graduate school to study meteorology. She was assigned to the Air Weather Service at Royal Canadian Air Force Station Torbay. Her work was invaluable to the aviators flying the North Atlantic, who relied on accurate weather forecasts. After separating from the Air Force, she continued her career as a civil servant for federal agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) before retiring in 1988.

The journey to Greenspring began in the Summer of 2016. Challenger 1’s cadets first met 1st Lt. Haynes at the Army’s Twilight Tattoo-- a military pageant held by the Army’s Old Guard, 3d. Infantry Division. There she met several of the squadron’s members and reconnected with her CAP roots. After the event, she joined Challenger 1 and quickly became an invaluable member, serving as a living and breathing reminder of years past. Her experience as an aviator, as well as her service in the USAF served as welcome reminders to the squadron as to where hard work, determination, and perseverance can take anyone. Because of her service within CAP during WWII, she was presented the Congressional Gold Medal, and was recognized once more with a special CAP-specific ceremony in her honor. Over the past three years, she has remained an indispensable member of the squadron, serving as an excellent mentor to cadets.

Challenger 1 fields a robust Cadet Competition team, part of which requires a community service project. Because of 1st Lt. Haynes’s contributions and history with the squadron, the team decided to focus on serving the elderly as a way of giving back to the community. The desire to connect with the elderly encouraged the team to visit 1st Lt. Haynes’s retirement community, Greenspring. They explored potential ways to volunteer with the residents that would have the greatest impact, including their own beloved 1st Lt. Haynes. Ultimately, they decided to address one of the greatest needs of the elderly-- companionship.

The Cadet Competition team recognized an area of need after realizing through 1st Lt. Haynes that many of the elderly are almost seemingly forgotten by society. Too often they are forgotten and underutilized as potential role models, with their experience often overlooked or discounted. This inadvertently isolates their collective experience, neglecting the wisdom they possess from the lives they had led previously. Granted, the elderly are not often ignored on purpose, but due to the demands of daily life and attention that is required elsewhere, this population is underserved in the attention it needs and desires. The deeds of the elderly and their histories deserve to be remembered and preserved primarily through sharing them with the youth, who can provide much needed companionship.

During their visit to Greenspring, 1st Lt. Haynes introduced the cadet competition team to the residents, helping both the residents and cadets feel welcome and at ease. Over time, a fascinating bond quickly developed between the residents and the team. In almost no time, the eager residents regaled the cadets with their tales of past deeds and hard-learned lessons, relishing the company of their newly found friends. Hours passed with little notice, and the unlikely friends parted ways with jovial farewells.

The words of the residents of Greenspring and stories shared continue to reverberate within the minds of the cadets. The squadron has the distinct honor of meeting towering personalities with venerable pasts and interesting personal histories. The residents will often have a myriad of stories and are eager to share their experiences and life lessons with the youth. One such person is Rev. Leonard Kalkwarf, who served in the Army Chaplain Corps. After finishing his service from the Army, he continued to serve as a member of the clergy, and continues to serve as a pastor to present day. Mr. Kalkwarf would advise the cadets and give advice on life and overcoming obstacles. He would speak to them about the importance of resilience and its necessity to endure life’s challenges and any personal difficulties. His words of wisdom and experience as a chaplain reverberated with the cadet team and helped reinforce important values and skills necessary to succeed in their adult lives. Another resident, Walter “Gray” Parks, was a West Point graduate of the class of 1952. He served a full career within the Army and retired as a “full bird” Colonel. Other notable residents included a veteran of the Philippines in WW2, and another resident who grew up in the Philippines as a boy, and then later served in the Navy. These individuals came from all walks of life and from highly diverse backgrounds. Together, they found friendship and companionship with the cadets, bonding over life lessons and their personal stories.

A goal of Challenger 1 Cadet Squadron is to foster a spirit of friendship and openness between the communities in which they serve, including providing a leadership program for youth ages 12-21 years. As youth can often be impressionable and willing to emulate those around them, it is important that they are exposed to those who are willing to take the time to help guide and shape them for the better. The residents of Greenspring have much wisdom and an eagerness to share it with others, especially the young. Therefore, the ongoing visitation and relationship between the two was crucial to foster, if not only for the companionship that the residents desire, but also for the mentorship that the cadets need.

A study from Stanford University states, “When older adults contribute to the well-being of youth, it cultivates a sense of purpose.” The benefits and the relationship between youth and the elderly provides not only a meaningful, productive activity and engagement, but it also gives the elderly purpose in their lives. As people sink into retirement, they often lose purpose and lack activities in their daily lives, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. By meeting with youth, the elderly regain that purpose. According to Laura Carstensen, a Stanford psychology professor and author of the study, “Young adults require emotional skills to succeed in life. These are the attitudes, behaviors and strategies required to operate as a productive adult in an increasingly complex and technical world. And they are the types of skills and experiences that older adults have in abundance due to their life experiences.” In line with Dr. Carstensen’s findings, the relationship cultivated between the cadets of Challenger 1 and the residents of Greenspring demonstrated a similar mutually beneficial relationship. It is because of the strong connection between the residents and the cadets, the members of Challenger 1 will continue to be a presence at Greenspring, with hopes of forming new relationships with the residents, as well as visiting friends of old.

Challenger 1 Cadet Squadron serves the City of Alexandria and conducts aerospace education programs, ground and airborne emergency services support, and leadership and character development programs for young people and is currently recruiting new cadet members from 12-18, and adults from 18 years of age, no experience required. The squadron meets every Wednesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Nannie J Lee Recreation Center located at 1108 Jefferson St, Alexandria, VA 22314. For more information visit dc060.natcapwing.org. You can also follow the squadron on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DC060 or follow @CAP_DC060 on Instagram.

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 63,000 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 26,000 young people participating in CAP's Cadet Programs. Visit www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com or www.CAP.news for more information.