RALEIGH, NC – When asking “how was your Saturday,” most people expect to hear of a mall adventure or an exciting day of yard work. Training to respond to an airplane crash or a search and rescue operation is not normally the expected response. For members of the Civil Air Patrol, however, this is exactly the response you might hear.

On Saturday, July 17, the Civil Air Patrol in North Carolina preformed mock ground search operations. The operations were intended to give members of CAP the training to proficiently find a downed aircraft. The event took place throughout the state and lasted most of the day.

Although CAP is an auxiliary of the Air Force its members are not all Air Force. Army Capt. Harold Hernandez, 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, 18th Fires Brigade (Airborne), has been in CAP for six years and serves as a captain there as well.

“I Joined the CAP while I was still a sergeant in the Army,” Hernandez said.

The Civil Air Patrol is a volunteer organization that’s been active since 1941. During World War II, when CAP started, it protected America’s shores from Japanese submarines by flying reconnaissance over the ocean and dropping bombs on enemy subs. Although their mission has changed slightly CAP continues to serve the United States by conducting search and rescue operations for all types of disasters.

The Civil Air Patrol conducts search and rescue operations all around the United States. Hernandez said, CAP was able to provide needed support during the search and rescue operations following hurricane Katrina, and they were able to provide support following 9/11.

“Besides the Air Force, after 9/11, the Civil Air Patrol was the only group allowed fly,” Hernandez said.

As a volunteer organization CAP allows youth to join as junior members, they are considered cadets in the organization until they are at least 18 and can stay junior members until they are 21 when they have to become senior members. Hernandez said the program is a good way to keep children out of trouble. In addition to being a pilot and ground crew chief with CAP, Hernandez also trains junior members.

Hernandez said the junior members are given opportunities to go on search and rescue missions just like the senior members. He said CAP is a great opportunity for kids.

“How many kids can say they participated in real search and rescue missions,” Hernandez said.

One task members of CAP must perform proficiently, is tracking the signal an aircraft when it crashes using a device they call an L-per. An L-per is a device that tells the direction of a signal. After they know what direction to travel they use a map or GPS and a compass to find the aircraft.

The mission operation base for the exercise was located in the general aviation section of the Raleigh-Durham Airport. From the mission operation base ground crews received orders to go out and track a practice signal of a downed aircraft.

The skills that members of CAP have are unique and obtaining them takes practice. Those willing to volunteer for CAP are willing to sacrifice their time so they can better serve the communities they live in. With a tradition of service CAP will continue to train and respond to disasters in the United States.

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