Monthly e-newsletter of Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302, Arizona Wing, Civil Air Patrol 302

Lt. Col. Chas Buchanan, Squadron Commander

Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, Arizona

Full Throttle

Vol. 2, No. 6 February 2008

Squadron recognizes top cadets

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Padrick gains NCO honor; Patocs is Airman of Year

In recognition of their exemplary personal qualities and leadership potential, two members of Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 have been honored as the squadrons Cadets of the Year. C/MSgt. Michael Padrick has been named Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Cadet Of the Year while C/SrA Alethia Patocs was recognized as Airman of the Year. The selection for calendar year 2007 was made by a committee of senior officers and cadet staff. Criteria for selection include maintaining a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher, participation in specified percentages of squadron activities as well as Inside Full Throttle additional par Squadron airplane to be sold 2 ticipation in Supervisors needed for PTX 2 Cadet orientation Feb. 4 3 Wing and E-mail challenges listed 3 Group IV ac Safety first 4 tivities, ac Getting to Know 5 tively testing Promotions 6 and promoting See the Quarterly Training Scheda specified ule (QTS) for upcoming events and number of contact information. Also, go to times per year, http://azwg.us for the calendar of improving activities within the Civil Air Paphysical-traintrols Arizona Wing. Civil Air Patrol: More Than Meets The Skies

C/SrA Alethia Patocs (right), Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302s Airman of the Year, is congratulated by Cadet Commander C/1st Lt. Robert Gassert.

ing scores, listings of leaderships skills and positions plus school, employment and volunteer or service-activity participation, and recommendation from the flight commander or cadet command staff. (Continued on page 3) Semper Vigilans (Always Vigilant)

NHQ: Squadron aircraft to be sold

Deer Valley Composite Squadrons assigned Cessna 182 N9370X is to be prepared for sale under an order issued to the Arizona Wing by Civil Air Patrol (CAP) National Headquarters (NHQ). The aircraft was Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302s assigned aircraft N9370X is one grounded effective of four airplanes identified by Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters for sale. Jan. 28. NHQ has identified N9370X as one of four airplanes designated as turn-ins for new aircraft recently purchased by CAP; however, it is uncertain when the squadron might receive a new airplane. Our Wing commander and staff are working hard to determine an answer to this question, says Lt. Col. Brian Ready, Wing director of operations. The airplane has the highest number of flight hours while being closest to a scheduled overhaul among the Wings Cessna 182s, Lt. Col. Ready explains.

Officers sought for cadets PTX training

Several adult officers of Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 are being sought as volunteer supervisors for a weekly physical-training exercise (PTX) for squadron cadets, says 1st Lt. Casey Young, deputy commander for cadets. If we had two or three adults who would be willing to rotate the supervision responsiFull Throttle is the monthly e-newsletter for officers, cadets and friends of Deer Valley Composite bilities, then the cadets could meet their deSquadron 302, Arizona Wing, U.S. Civil Air Patrol. sire to improve their physical-fitness scores Its mission is to bolster communication with and as well as their overall health, Lt. Young among officers and cadets, enhance awareness of says. She notes the adult members already squadron activities, and share news and information involved extensively with the cadet program about the squadron and its personnel. do not have additional time to devote to the Story suggestions and submissions can be forPTX and requests help from fellow squadron ward-ed by the 15th of the month preceding publicamembers. tion to Capt. Jerry Porter, squadron public-affairs Lt. Young adds the time commitment for officer, at civilairpatrolsq302pao@cox.net. the PTX would not exceed 1 hours per To guarantee receipt of the newsletter, readers should ensure their e-mail addresses and other con- week, perhaps on a Tuesday or Thursday. tact information remain current with the squadron She emphasizes the cadets are willing to and on e-services at www.capnhq.gov. work around the senior members schedules. Vol. 2, No. 6 February 2008 Squadron senior members who are willing ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ to accept responsibility for this activity can National First-Place Co-WinnerNewsletters contact Lt. Young by telephone at 623/7072007 Maj. Howell Balsem CAP Public Affairs 3264 or via e-mail at c.young-cap@cox.net. Exceptional Achievement Awards

Full Throttle

Full Throttle

February 2008

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 Squadron recognizes Cadets of the Year for 07

(Continued from page 1) Since joining the squadron in December 2006, the squadrons NCO Cadet of the Year C/MSgt. Padrick has promoted rapidly and serves as an orientation drill instructor. He also commanded the squadrons cadet color guard that recently took second place overall in the 2008 Arizona Wing Cadet Competition. In that competition, C/MSgt. Padrick recorded the highest individual score in the written examination. The Black Canyon City resident is a member of the Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302s NCO National Honor Society at Anthems Boulder Creek of the Year, C/MSgt. Michael Padrick (right High School, where he is a junior. He serves weekly as and inset), pins rank on new Arizona Wing a teachers aide at Anthem Elementary School and has Commander Col. John Eggen at Januarys been involved with the Young Eagles Program. change-of-command ceremony. (Ceremony Since beginning cadet orientation in July 2007, the photo by Capt. J. Brandon Masangcay.) squadrons Airman of the Year C/SrA Patocs has promoted consistently, achieving her current grade in late January. She is an element leader in Bravo Flight and is described by cadet command staff as one of the best cadets in that flight. The north Phoenix resident has participated regularly in squadron, Group IV and Wing events while advancing her education in model rocketry, basic and advance communication, and flight-line training. C/SrA Patocs is a home-schooled eighth-grader who has volunteered with the Special Olympics Aquatics Tournament and the Crisis Pregnancy Center Baby Bottle Drive. We had several excellent applicants for these awards, says 1st Lt. Casey Young, the squadrons deputy commander for cadets, but these two cadets rose to the top. They are outstanding selections.

Cadet orientation sets Feb. 4 start

A new six- to eight-week cadet orientation class begins on the first Monday of each month, with the first class of 2008 starting at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4. Encourage young people 12 to 21 to explore the opportunities available as members of Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302. Recruiter ribbons are awarded to cadets who recruit two or more members into the Civil Air Patrol. Full Throttle

E-mail challenges can interrupt distribution of squadron newsletter

If youre not receiving Full Throttle each month in your email, then any of several challenges can be the reason. A significant number of bouncebacks follows each distribution cycle because of incorrect or outdated e-mail addresses, mailboxes that are at capacity or those that will not accept attachments larger than a specific size. It is important for all squadron members to ensure their email addresses are correct at www.capnhq.gov, from which most addresses are compiled for the newsletters distribution. Also, if your mailbox is full, please make needed deletions to allow capacity for future mailings. Full Throttle is compressed when converted into a .pdf format. If your e-mail system will not accept attachments, please contact your network administrator. February 2008 Page 3

Safety first

Live and practice training, procedures

by Maj. Tim Beckwith, Squadron Safety Officer You see, hear, read and train on safety. Why? Whether we're seriously concentrating on performing our mission with its complexities and risks, or during a more relaxed time at Maj. Tim Beckwith Civil Air Patrol (CAP), home, work or play, our attention usually is not focused on safety. It's human nature to make sure the job at hand is done professionally as we are trained, so our attention is occupied by doing the job right. The same is true during more relaxed times with no threat to remind us of safety. But we learn a professional job requires safety as one of the crucial items to be employed. Driving is a good example. We're supposed to drive defensively, but if we don't view driving as an activity involving threat, we won't consciously be defensive drivers. We hopefully will receive enough training and education to follow this safety procedure. All of us were required to participate in the national no-fly, safety-stand-down day at the end of December and complete the three online programs. The programs were timely for the holidays and required by CAP-U.S. Air Force regulations. We had ours in Squadron 302 back in September. The unfortunate loss of two CAP pilots in a California night-flight accident might have added to the need to have the entire organization dedicate one day to the safety subject. Both of the members we lost were long-time, professionally employed pilots with many tens of thousands of hours and long-time CAP search pilots. It shows it can happen to anyone. The best Full Throttle way to combat accidents is to emphasize safety and remind all of us to practice safety in all we do. I refer you to Jay Hopkins training article titled "What is Safety?" in the February 2008 Flying magazine. You'll recall Jay is a member of our Wings Payson squadron. He defines safety as reducing risk in general and eliminating unnecessary risk. He details the factors to reduce risk for flight crews, such as initial and refresher training, regular flight with an instructor, good diet, consistent sleep, careful flight planning, thorough preflight, consistent use of checklists, and many of the I'M SAFE items on which we train. More on this next time. We'll also hear about the glass cockpit Cessna 182 we're flying now and the challenges and advancements it presents. Several of us in the squadron have been checked out in this aircraft, and we all can benefit from feedback from the experiences we've had with our initial training. Take a look at Jay's article on safety. It's good reading and seems to hit the nail on the head. Be safe by living and practicing safety.

Think think think!

Activities to note
Feb. 2-3 - Wing winter FTX Feb. 4 - Cadet meeting (BDUs) Feb. 11 - Cadet meeting (BDUs) Feb. 13 - Senior meeting Feb. 18 - Cadet meeting (PT) Feb. 20 - Senior staff Feb. 23 - Senior meeting Feb. 25 - Cadet meeting (Blues) Feb. 27 - Senior meeting ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Cadet meetings begin at 7 p.m. while senior meetings start at 7:30 p.m. BDUs - Battle dress uniform PT - Physical training Blues - Air Force dress uniform Page 4

February 2008

Getting to know

Duncan exhibits enthusiasm for CAP

Cadets and adult officers of Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 certainly recognize 2nd Lt. Daryl Duncan as one of the squadrons most enthusiastic and involved members. Following 2nd Lt. Daryl Duncan are questions and answers to help members become better acquainted with this officer who is helping to train new cadets and assisting in squadron missions:
Although I never served in the military, my

childhood was spent very close to the service. My dad's career as a U.S. Navy officer took our family to bases in Puerto Rico; Winter Harbor, Maine; Okinawa; Maryland; Monterey, Calif.; and Guam. By the time I was 14, my family had crossed the Caribbean twice and the Pacific three times on U.S. Navy troopships without one of us ever getting seasick. My real interest in aviation started when I was a software quality engineer. I was responsible for assuring processes were followed during the development and release of the software for airliners for such products as windshear, traffic-collision avoidance (TCAS), and flightmanagement systems. The job's duties required witnessing tests in the 727, 737, L-1011, MD80, A320 and A340 simulators. That was rewarding and enjoyable work! Q: What is your occupation and career experience? My first career choice way back in high school and I do mean way back! was to join the U.S. Navy and become a cryptologic technician. Unfortunately, I had a medical condition for which the Navy would not grant a waiver. Ironically, that medical condition never materialized into an issue, but I had to investigate other career possibilities. While employed as a communications specialist with the Laurel, Md., Police Department, I became interested in computers. From there, I worked as a computer operator with an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. In 1981 I joined Honeywell's nearby Air Transport Division and served as a computer-media librarian, software-configuration management specialist and software-quality engineer. Currently, I'm a senior configuration specialist with General Dynamic (GD) C4 Systems in Scottsdale. What (Continued on page 6) Page 5

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Q: When did you join the squadron? I joined in March 2006. Q: What motivated you to become a CAP member? CAP combines several of my life-long interests: aviation, communications, weather, the military and the opportunity to serve my country. Q: What are your positions or areas of interest within the squadron and CAP? On the cadet side, most members probably know me as the basic-training officer, but as an adult officer, I also enjoy flying and communications. Recently, I completed the requirements for scanner and now can fly on actual missions. Also, Im certified as a mission radio operator and communications unit leader. My next goal is to move into the front right seat as an observer. Q: Do you have military and/or flight experience? Full Throttle

February 2008

 Duncan enjoys cadets, flying, communications

(Continued from page 5) that means is I help to manage changes to software. After GD, it's retirement and more time with CAP! Q: What is your educational background? I earned a bachelor of science degree with a major in computer-information systems from Western International University in Phoenix. I also have an associate in arts degree from Prince Georges Community College in Largo, Md., where I majored in law enforcement. Q: Are you active in other service organizations? I serve as a patrol advisor and radio merit-badge councilor with Boy Scout Troop 432 in Anthem, where I live. 2nd Lt. Daryl Duncan handles radio comIm also a technical-team cameraman at Fellowship munications in Arizona Mission Base. Church in Anthem. Q: What keeps you interested in CAP? I really enjoy my positions in cadet basic training, flying and communications. My wife can't believe I actually want to fly and to do so in a small plane. She will tell you almost 30 years ago, I was a certified white-knuckle flyer who drove her up the wall while flying to Orlando for our honeymoon. Q: What are your hobbies? In addition to serving in CAP, Ive been an amateur radio operator call sign KD7SCD since 1989 and have a General Class License.

9 cadets promote, 4 others take oaths

Congratulations to the following cadets who either have promoted or taken their oaths as new members of Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302: To Cadet First Lieutenant: Robert Gassert To Cadet Master Sergeant: Jarret Dunbar To Cadet Technical Sergeant: Leanne Albillar and Kyle Corales To Cadet Staff Sergeant: Kegan Edmondson and Jacqueline Shortridge To Cadet Senior Airman: Steven Cothran, Jairek Hanson and Alethia Patocs To Cadet Airman Basic: Kyle Allen, Brittany Beaman, Alex Campa and Danny Onofryton

Study Test

Promote If you can dream it, you can do it.

Walt Disney (1901-1966) Animator, cartoonist, film producer, imagineer, founder of Disneyland
Full Throttle February 2008 Page 6