deer valley squadron - sep 2007

8/2/2019 Deer Valley Squadron - Sep 2007

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Monthly e-newsletter ofDeer Valley Composite Squadron 302Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302, Arizona Wing, U.S. Civil Air PatrolDeer Valley Airport, Phoenix, Arizona

50 years of service to Arizona and America50 years of service to Arizona and America 19571957--20072007Capt. Paula Ramage, Squadron Commander Vol. 2, No. 1 September 2007

Performing Missions For AmericaPerforming Missions For America Semper Vigilans (Always Vigilant)Semper Vigilans (Always Vigilant)

Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302Celebrating 50 years of service in 2007Celebrating 50 years of service in 2007Celebrating 50 years of service in 2007Celebrating 50 years of service in 2007

CAP honorsFull Throttle

~ ~ ~ ~ ~Squadron PAO receives

first-ever Balsem AwardFull Throttle begins its second year of

publication with recognition as beingamong the elite newsletters in the U.S.Civil Air Patrol (CAP).

2Lt. Jerry Porter, editor and public-affairs officer (PAO) for Deer Valley Com-posite Squadron 302, was selected as the

national first-place co-winner of the inaugu-

ral Maj. Howell Balsem CAP ExceptionalAchievement Award for newsletters.

Lt. Porter was presented the award by

Brig. Gen. Amy S. Courter, CAPs acting

national commander, and Col. MichaelCaldwell, deputy director of public affairs,Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public

Affairs, in early August during CAPs inau-gural PAO Academy in Atlanta.

More than 60 entries were received from

across the nation in the newsletter category,

(Continued on page 2)

InsideInsideFull ThrottleFull Throttle Deputy commander 3 New staff officer 4 Safety: Check rides 6

See the Quarterly Training Schedule (QTS) for upcomingevents and contact information. Also, go to http://azwg.us

for the calendar of activities within the Civil Air Patrols

Arizona Wing.

2Lt. Jerry Porter (center), Deer Valley Composite Squad-

ron 302 public-affairs officer, accepts the 2007 Maj. How-

ell Balsem CAP Exceptional Achievement Award for news-

letters from Brig. Gen. Amy S. Courter (left), CAP acting

national commander, and Col. Michael Caldwell, deputydirector of public affairs, Secretary of the Air Force Office

of Public Affairs, during ceremonies in August in Atlanta.

Getting to Know 7

UDF training 8

Promotions 9


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Squadron newsletter honored nationallymaking it the largest of nine overall categories in which awardswere presented. Full Throttle shared the national first-place honor

withMinnesota Wing Tips, the monthly newsletter of the Minne-

sota Wing.The Balsem Awards are named for Maj. Howell Balsem, the

U.S. Air Force officer considered by CAP historians to be the first

PAO to serve CAP on the national level in the 1940s and 50s.Lt. Porter joined Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 in April

2006 and launched Full Throttle when he became squadron PAO

five months later. He recently assumed additional duties as assis-

tant aerospace-education officer for cadets and is a qualified mis-sion scanner and observer.

In addition to his squadron duties, Lt. Porter is director of com-

munication services for Sun Health, a non-profit healthcare pro-

vider in Sun City. He also is a full professor at Western Interna-tional University (WIU), where he is co-chair of the departments

of business, public administration, health and human services, andsupply-chain management. He also

is vice chair of the WIU University

Academic Council, which is com-

prised of all academic departmentheads.

Members asked to note

these upcoming eventsFollowing are key dates Deer Valley

Composite Squadron 302 members areasked to note:

Squadron open house (7 p.m. Monday,Oct. 1) Encourage family, friends and co-workers to come and learn more about the

benefits of membership and participation.

Copperstate Regional EEA Fly-In (Oct.25-28, Casa Grande Municipal Airport) Officers and cadets are needed to help withthis aircraft exhibition. Contact Capt. PaulaRamage at [email protected] for details.

Group IV Dining Out (Saturday, Nov. 17,Luke Air Force Base) Save the date forthis CAP dining and recognition event. More

details to be included in the next issue of

Full Throttle.

Full Throttle September 2007 Page 2

Full ThrottleFull Throttleis the monthly e-newsletter for offi-

cers, cadets and friends of Deer Valley CompositeSquadron 302, Arizona Wing, U.S. Civil Air Patrol.Its mission is to bolster communication with andamong officers and cadets, enhance awareness ofsquadron activities, and share news and informa-tion about the squadron and its personnel.

Story suggestions and submissions can be for-warded by the 15th of the month preceding publica-tion to2Lt. Jerry Porter,squadron public-affairsofficer, at [email protected].

To guarantee receipt of the newsletter, readers

should ensure their e-mail addresses and othercontact information remain current with the squad-ron and on e-services at www.capnhq.gov.Vol. 2, No. 1 September 2007

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

National First-Place Co-WinnerNewsletters2007 Maj. Howell Balsem

CAP Exceptional Achievement Awards

The first-ever national co-

winning Balsem Award for

CAP newsletters resides within

the trophy case at Deer Valley

Composite Squadron 302.


3/9

Maj. Attila Szokol has assumed duties asdeputy commander for adults for Deer Val-ley Composite Squadron 302, announced

Capt. Paula Ramage, squadron commander.He will continue his previous duties as stan-dardization and evaluation officer.

Our squadron is most fortunate to have Maj.

Szokol serving in this important position, Capt.Ramage says. His qualifications are impecca-

ble, and he enjoys the respect and admiration of

all squadron members.

Maj. Szokol says he looks forward to thechallenges of his new position as the com-

mander's right hand.

Running an active squadron such as we haveat 302 is a tremendous undertaking, he ob-

serves. My job is to assist the commander in

keeping all the balls being juggled in the air anddo what I can to ease some of her task-loading.

A pilot for 20 years and former aviation op-

erations specialist in the Arizona Army National

Guard, Maj. Szokol is a 737 first officer andsimulator instructor for US Airways but has

been working primarily for the past 18 months

in the Training and Standards Department on

the merger fleet-integration project (rewritingmanuals, procedures, checklists, etc.) of US Air-

ways and the former America West Airlines.Every chance I get which isnt often

enough Ill escape the cubicle farm and actu-

ally fly a trip, he grins.Maj. Szokol has accumulated approximately

7,000 hours of flight time plus a considerable

amount of simulator time. He is an Airline

Transport Pilot, type-rated in the Boeing 737, deHavilland Dash 8 and Beechcraft 1900. He also

is a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI-II-MEI).The Glendale resident joined Deer ValleyComposite Squadron 302 in the fall of 2001

while furloughed from America West in the

wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.I wanted to find a way I could do something

useful with my skills, he recalls. Capt. BillSander (squadron aircraft-maintenance officer)

Full Throttle September 2007 P age 3

Szokol is appointed deputy commandertold me about

Squadron 302,so I wandered in

one night, likedwhat I saw, andsigned up right

then and there.

As standardi-zation and

evaluation offi-

cer, he works

with Capts.Sander and BillRogers to en-

sure compe-tence, profi-

ciency and pro-

fessionalismamong squadron pilots.

Unofficially, Ive also been one of the guys

who helps to keep members training records

squared away in the myriad of databases theCivil Air Patrol (CAP) uses to verify specialty

qualifications, Maj. Szokol says. No matter

how much training somebody has under his belt

or how much he knows, if it isnt validated in acomputer somewhere, that member is not consid-

ered qualified.He says his first CAP mission flying an ac-

tual search in the White Mountains was his

most memorable.I was still a mission-pilot trainee, seeing for

the first time how a full-blown mission was exe-

cuted, he recalls. I was very impressed by how

professionally the whole operation was run. Idont think Ive ever been so proud to be a part

of an organization so competent and committed!Citing thecamaraderie among fellow squadronmembers as the reason for his continued interest

in CAP, Maj. Szokol states, In the many circles

Ive run, Ive never come across so many inter-esting, talented people who volunteer to do such

an important, demanding job. It is a privilege to

associate with such fine individuals!

Maj. Attila Szokol


4/9

Manser accepts multiple rolesas member of squadron staff

Former U.S. Air Force Capt. Les Manser has accepted multi-ple staff positions within Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302and will serve as the squadrons cadet aerospace-education offi-

cer, cadet test-control officer, flight-operations officer and flight-

release officer, announced Capt. Paula Ramage, squadron com-mander.

Officer Manser, a pilot who joined the squadron in May as a

senior member, has completed his mission scanner training and is

nearing completion of his qualifications for mission observer. Heis pursing U.S. Civil Air Patrol technician ratings in aerospace

education and flight operations.

He brings to the squadron 12 years of Air Force experience inthe enlisted and officer ranks. Officer Manser was an avionics

maintenance specialist and attained the grade of staff sergeant

during four years as an enlistee. He served as an officer for eightyears after being commissioned in 1978 through Officer Training

School.

As an officer, he served as an F-4E/G instructor, weapons-system officer, wing standardization and

evaluation officer, wing weapons and tactics officer, wing electronic warfare officer, supervisor offlying and air-operations officer. He has 1,800 flight hours as an Air Force-rated navigator in fighter

aircraft.

Officer Manser separated from the Air Force in 1986 and earned his master of science degree inaeronautical science with a 4.0 grade-point average from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He

earlier had completed his bachelor of science degree in electronics technology from Troy State Uni-

versity in Alabama.After completing his graduate degree, Officer Manser had supplemental Air Force experience from

1988 to 1992 as an F-15E academic and simulator instructor at Luke Air Force Base through

McDonnell-Douglas Training Systems, Inc. He trained all F-15E aircrews who participated in the

1990 Gulf War. Notably, no aircraft crewed by his students was lost during Desert Storm combat op-erations.

Officer Manser served for six years as an adjunct instructor for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Uni-

versity at its Luke Air Force Base campus, instructing courses at the undergraduate and graduate lev-els in simulation in aviation and aerospace, air-carrier operations, business and commercial flight op-

erations, and computers in aviation.

His other qualifications include being a Federal Aviation Administration-rated private pilot and

aircraft dispatcher. He has a single-engine-land (SEL) private-pilot instrument rating, multiple-engine-land (MEL) commercial-pilot instrument rating, and a total of 300 hours of SEL and MEL flight

time including almost 200 hours as a pilot in command. He has 12 hours thus far in the glass cock-pit Cessna 182.

A quality manager since 1993, the Glendale resident has been employed the past six years for

Ditron Manufacturing, Inc.

He is a certified quality auditor.

Full Throttle September 2007 P age 4

Senior Member Les Manser


5/9


Deadline nears for paying squadron duesReminder: Squadron dues payments of $40 are required by Sept. 30 from all senior mem-

bers (officers) and cadets of Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 in order to remain in goodmembership standing. Advance payment is appreciated.

Prompt payment of dues is necessary for the squadron to maintain its financial strength and to

meet ongoing operational expenses.Checks can be made payable to CAP, mailed to Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 at 932 W.

Deer Valley Road, Phoenix, AZ 85027, or delivered in person at cadet or officer meetings.Because the Civil Air Patrol is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, dues and other CAP-related

expenses such as mileage to and from meetings and other activities are tax-deductible to the ex-tent allowed by law.Officers, parents, grandparents and others also might wish to consider making the squadron the

beneficiary of end-of-year charitable contributions that will reap financial benefits during tax sea-son.

Charitable gifts should be made via a separate check, also made payable to CAP, and noted as des-

ignated for the squadron.

Mission SunsetWith the Labor Day holiday, weekend missions that have been flown since Memorial Day for the ArizonaDepartment of Transportation by Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 and other Arizona Wing squadrons

will end. The squadron has flown well in excess of 50 hours during that time to enhance safety of the mo-

toring public via aerial monitoring of I-17 and State Route 87 (Beeline Highway). Aircrews have been

watching for accidents, stranded motorists, lane closures and restrictions, and highway debris. As these

missions sunset, another sunset was captured by a Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 aircrew flying

south along the Beeline Highway south of Payson.


6/9


Safety first

Check rides advance skills, knowledgeEditors Note: Following is part of a continuing series of articles that appear periodically in Full

Throttle to promote safety among squadron members.by Maj. Tim Beckwith

Squadron Safety Officer

In the interest of safety and professionalism, the U.S. Civil Air Patrol

(CAP) requires a variety of check rides for pilots. These are mandated more

frequently than those required under Federal Aviation (FAA) regulations.

Take a look at the article in the August issue ofFull Throttle based on

Hey Man, How Do I Get To Fly? originally penned by Maj. Bob Wirth.It outlines the CAPR 60-1 requirements, and you can see the need not onlyfor the biannual FAA check ride but also the annual CAP Form 5 check ride

as well as the biannual CAP Mission Pilot check ride for search and othermission flight activities for pilots.

In this months safety column, we reference a training article by JayHopkins on page 41 of the July issue ofFlying Magazine. Jay is a certifiedflight instruction (CFI) and check pilot in the Arizona Wings Payson

squadron. In the article, he explains his views of check-pilot activities.While Jays content is not unique to CAP, he does a nice job relating his experiences in both giving

and receiving check rides, including what makes up an

ideal check ride. Look it up and enjoy. It brings a new

perspective to those of us who just receive check rides.

It also helps us to better understand the value that

check rides provide to help us fly more safely and doour job right when acting as pilot in command. Tech-

nically, a check ride allows us to demonstrate to the

check pilot, who is a flight instructor, our skills and

knowledge (rather than be a training flight to learn).However, Ive always come away from a check ride

knowing more than before the flight started.

I commend our CAP check pilots for the valuableservice they all provide through volunteering their

time and skills.

Group IV searchfor safety officerremains open

Maj. Tim Beckwith

Group IV of the Civil Air Patrols Arizona Wing contin-ues to seek a safety officer.

Any officer from Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 who

is interested in applying for a temporary-duty (TDY) transfer to

fill this post should contact squadron commander Capt. PaulaRamage at [email protected].


7/9


Getting to knowGassert named cadet executive officer

One of Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302s most recent

recipients of the Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell Award has beenappointed as the squadrons cadet executive officer, an-nounced C/Lt. Col. Matthew Ramage, cadet commander.

With the award, Cadet Robert Gassert has achieved the gradeof cadet second lieutenant.

Following are questions and answers intended to acquaint

squadron officers, cadets and supporters with this new cadet com-missioned officer:

Q: How long have you been a member of the squadron andCivil Air Patrol (CAP)? Cadet Gassert: I am coming up on my fourth year in CAP.

Q: What is your current position in the squadron and whatare your responsibilities in this role? Cadet Gassert: I have just begun my responsibilities asthe cadet executive officer and am in charge of the cadet support

staff at the squadron.

Q: What positions have you had previously in the squadron? Cadet Gassert: I have had several positions including serving as flight commander of both Alpha

and Bravo Flight and helping out in orientation a few times. I also have served as commander of

the squadron color guard.

Q: How has CAP helped you in everyday life? Cadet Gassert: The Civil Air Patrol has helped me in so many ways, mostly with leadership

among my peers.

Q: What advice do you give to newer cadets? Cadet Gassert: My advice is make sure you get involved with activities when they come around

because you never know what kind of cool things you might do or the amazing people you willmeet.

Q: What is the one thing you want to get from CAP? Cadet Gassert: One thing I want is to get is a scholarship either to college or to finish my flight

training.

Q: Where do you attend school, and are you involved in any extracurricular activities? Cadet Gassert: I attend Mountain Ridge High School where I am a senior and involved in techni-

cal theatre and track.

Q: What are your career plans? Cadet Gassert: My ambition is to become either a fighter pilot or a transport pilot for the U.S. Air

Force.

Q: Who in the program do you consider to have been the most instrumental in your advance-

ment within CAP and why? Cadet Gassert: I consider C/2Lt. Jessica Bayne to be the most instrumental because she always

has kept me on my toes and been there to tell me what happened if I missed something.

C/2Lt. Robert Gassert


8/9

Officers, cadets receive UDF trainingDeer Valley Composite

Squadron 302 officers andcadets recently had the op-

portunity to receive trainingin urban direction finding(UDF) from Capt. RayReeve.

The training would be bene-ficial in particular to ground

teams searching for the emer-

gency locator transponder

(ELT) of a downed aircraft.


Capt. Ray Reeve

(right), who provided

the UDF training,checks the monitoring

technique of Senior

Member Lisa Albillar

C/A1C Daniel Vogt holds a UHF directional

antenna and monitors for the ELT signal.

Capt. William Miller (left)

and 2Lt. Daryl Duncan payclose attention to signal

strength as they approach theELT.

Right photo:

For trainingpurposes, the

target ELT

was placed on

the footrest of

a nearbyparked air-

plane.


9/9

5 squadron cadets gain promotion in gradeCongratulations to these five Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302 cadets whose studies and

perseverance have earned them promotions to the following grades:

To Cadet Master Sergeant: Clifford Branch III and William Mead

To Cadet Staff Sergeant: Michael Padrick

To Cadet Airman First Class: Alexander Patocs

To Cadet Airman: Ryan Holland

There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.

Roger Staubach,

Dallas Cowboys quarterback (1969-79)

StudyStudy TestTest PromotePromote


deer valley squadron - sep 2007

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