st croix squadron - nov 2010

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pilot, MNWG Instructor

pilot, CAP Form 5 & 91 pilotas well.

Capt. Yost was also awarded

a certificate of achievement

for reaching 50 cadet orienta-

tion flights!

Congratulations from the

entire St. Croix Squadron!

In a brief ceremony at the

weekly squadron meeting,Squadron Commander Capt.

David Yost received a pleas-

ant surprise.

With the skill of a covert

operation, a few of the mem-

bers under the direction of

the squadron’s operations

officer, Maj. Stefan Sylvander

decided to give our hard

working squadron com-

mander a pleasant surprise of our own.

Under the cover of present-

ing two cadets with their

Wright Brothers Awards,

MNWG. Group 3 Com-

mander, Lt. Col. Richard

Johnson was invited to pre-

sent to Capt. Yost two of his

hard earned achievement

awards. The first award wasfor achieving his senior pilot

wings!

When a Civil Air Patrol

(CAP) pilot logs over 1,000

hours in his log book, he is

entitled to wear a star over

his CAP Pilot wings which

represents this milestone

achieved.

Not many pilots who are not

either career military or com-mercial pilots have the op-

portunities to log this many

hours in their log book.

Not only is Capt. Yost a very

busy Squadron Commander,

but he is also a CFII, Cadet

Orientation pilot, Mission

Commander Marks Two Aviation Milestones

Earlier this spring, the St.Croix Squadron cadet corps

had decided to resurrect an

old squadron tradition of

celebrating a “Cadet of the

Month.”

This is a special recognition

for those cadets who excel

“above an beyond” the ex-

pectations and who set an

example of achievement forall other cadets to strive for.

The St. Croix Squadron

would like to acknowledge

the “Cadet of the Month” for

September 2010 was C/Amn.

Dexter Colton & for Octo-

ber 2010 was C/Amn. Va-

leriya Kolyadenko.

These two cadets are the fineexample for what can be

achieved when you focus and

work hard for this recogni-

tion.!

On behalf of the Squadron

Commander and the staff of

the St. Croix Squadron, well

done!

St. Croix Composite Squadron—Minnesota Wing Civil Air Patrol— U.S. Air Force Auxiliary

Covers Events from Sept / Oct 2010 November 2010 - Volume 24, Issue 6

The Aviator

Newsletter

Upcoming MinnesotaWing Events

MNWG Basic Cadet TrainingSchool @ 130th Squadron 05November 2010

Veterans Day Color Guard Presen-tation @ Woodbury, MN. 11November 2010

Corporate Learning Course (CLC)@ Burnsville City Hall 19 Novem-ber 2010

Staff Selection Exercise (SSE) atCamp Ripley, Little Falls, MN. 03December 2010

Map & compass training at Du-luth Squadron (DLH) 09December 2010

Winter Survival Training at TBA07 January 2011.

Inside this issue:

St. Croix Commander MarksTwo Aviation Milestones! 1Cadets of the Month forSeptember & October 2010 2

St. Croix Celebrates a DoubleWright Brothers Awards! 3

St. Croix Senior AchievesGrover Loening Award! 4

St. Croix Welcomes a NewCadet Commander! 5

St. Croix Senior ReceivesNational Public Affairs Award! 6

St. Croix & St. Paul Squadron’sCelebrate First Curry Camp! 7

“ Together We Prevail”

Cadets of the Month for Sept. & Oct. 2010!

(L-R) Group 3 Commander,Lt. Col. Richard Johnson &

St. Croix Squadron Com-mander Capt. David Yost



On 02 September 2010, the St.

Croix Squadron had cause to

celebrate a double Wright

Brothers Award.

Cadets Mohammad Battah &

Ryan Malcolm have both

worked hard to make this mile-

stone achievement in their

advancement through the cadet

program.

The senior staff had invited our

Minnesota Wing, Group 3

commander, Lt. Col. Richard

Johnson to present two of our

cadets with their Wright

Brothers Awards.

Along with a promotion to

Cadet Staff Sergeant (C/SSgt.)

the Wright Brothers award

signifies a milestone in a Civil

Air Patrol (CAP) cadets career.

This is the milestone in cross-

ing from the learning phase to

the leadership phase of theprogram. The cadet program

has four phases to it’s achieve-

ment process. Learning, lead-

ership, command & executive

phases of the program.

Cadets will encounter many

challenges and promotions on

their journey through the cadet

Non Commissioned Officer

(NOC) grades as they proceed

through the leadership pro-

gram.

Once they achieve the high

levels of the NCO program

and they are ready to advance

to the Command phase, a pro-

motion to Cadet Second Lieu-

tenant (C/2d.Lt.) and the Gen.

Billy Mitchell Award is

achieved/

Congratulations and well done!

CAP professional development

provides technical skills and

leadership to senior members

18 years of age and over to

support CAP’s missions.

The Grover Loening Award is

the third in a series of ever

increasing milestones. A senior

member must have received

the Civil Air Patrol’s certificate

of proficiency, and have served

in a staff or command assign-

ment for over at least one

year.

On 17 July 2010, Capt . Jay

Sliwinski completed his level 3

of the senior member program

and earned the Grover Loening

Award.

This award recognizes those

senior members who have

dedicated themselves to lead-

ership and personal growth

within the Civil Air Patrol pro-

fessional development pro-

gram.

This award was first given in

1964 and honors the late

Grover Loening. A noted avia-

tion pioneer, he was the first

civilian member of the National

Air & Space museums advisory

board.

Civil Air Patrol is the official

Auxiliary of the United States

Air Force, CAP has a three fold

mission which includes Emer-

gency Services, Cadet Pro-

grams and Aerospace Educa-

tion.

Members must have also com-

pleted the Corporate Learning

Course (CLC) and attend at

least two Wing, Region or

National conferences.

Out of Civil Air Patrol’s 35,000

senior members, only about

350 earn the Grover Loening

Award each year. Receipt of

this award and completion of

rank and time in grade also

makes the member eligible to

be promoted to the rank of

Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Major.

Capt. Jay Sliwinski is currently

the St. Croix Squadron Deputy

Commander for Cadets and

has been doing a great job at

this assignment. Capt. Sliwinski

is also a former Spaatz Cadet

in the Civil Air Patrol program

which gives him a special in-

sights.


Commander and all the mem-

bership, Congratulations!

St. Croix Has Double Wright Brothers Awards

St. Croix Senior Earns Grover Loening Award!

“Aviation is proof, that

given the will, man has

the ability to achieve the

Impossible!”

- Eddie Rickenbacker

The AviatorNewsletter

(L-R) C/SSgt. Ryan Malcolm

receives his Wright Brothers

Award from Grp. 3 Com-

mander Lt. Col Dick Johnson

(L-R) Grp. 3 Commander, Lt.

Col.. Richard Johnson presents

Grover Loening Award to

Capt. Jay Sliwinski



On Thursday night 30 Septem-

ber 2010 the St. Croix Squad-

ron observed the time hon-

ored tradition of the Cadet

Change of Command.

The Change of Command signi-

fies the end of one era and the

beginning of another. More

often than not, it also signals a

new renewal in the progress of

events and achievements within

the squadron.

This ceremony was presided

over by the St. Croix Squadron

commander, Capt. David Yost.

The outgoing Cadet Com-mander, C/CMSgt Vince Peter-

son passed command over to

the incoming Cadet Com-

mander, C/2d.Lt. Grady Bell in

the U.S. Air Force traditions of

this time-honored ceremony

and is one of the most formal

of all U.S. Air Force ceremo-

nies conducted.

After a brief exchange of the

CAP Squadron flag, which is

the symbol of command, is

passed from one commander

to the next showing the relin-

quishment and acceptance of

command.

Some of the dignitaries in at-

tendance this night was, Grp. 3

Commander, Lt. Col. Richard

Johnson, MNWG director of

cadet programs, Capt. Susan

Blessman, MNWG chaplain Lt.

Col. Donald Mikita, Cadets

from North Hennepin Squad-

ron, Woodbury VFW Post

9024 Commander, Bob

Fritsche.

Congratulations to New St.Croix Cadet Commander,

C/2d.Lt. Grady Bell!

The Maj. Howell Balsem CAP

Public Affairs exceptional

achievement awards competi-

tion provides PAO’s with the

opportunity for recognition of

outstanding achievements in

variety of categories.

The eight categories for this

award are; brochure / posters

& fliers, event promotion /

Crisis management, media

coverage of CAP, newsletters,

photography, slide /power

In a brief presentation after the

Cadet Change of Command

ceremony at the St. Croix

Squadron hangar, Capt. David

Yost had presented 1st. Lt.

Scott Richardson with a CAP

Public Affairs Award

This award was originally pre-

sented at the CAP National

Convention held in San Diego,

California in early September

2010. 1st. Lt. Richardson was

the 2010 Maj. Howell Balsem

Public Affairs Award for Excel-

lence in the area of Newsletter

category for the Aviator News-

letter.

The Maj. Howell Balsem Public

Affairs Award was named in

honor of the Air Force Major

considered by Civil Air Patrol’s

historians to be the first CAP

Public Affairs Officer to serve

CAP at the national level in

the 1950’s.

point presentation, website &

writing for the media.

There are also three award

levels for each category and

they are; First place is the Maj.Howell Balsem Award, Award

of Excellence & Certificate of

Merit.

The Public Affairs program

includes those activities which

are designed to tell the Civil

Air Patrol (CAP) story to both

the public and CAP members,

as well as how CAP fits into

the local community. Public

Affairs could very well be ex-plained as covering tomorrows

history, today.


Commander and the entire St.

Croix Squadron,

Congratulations go out to 1st.

Lt. Scott Richardson for this

National award, and keep up

the good work!

St. Croix Squadron Welcomes a New Cadet Commander!

St. Croix Senior Receives Public Affairs Award!

“ That’s not Flying…

that’s falling with

Style!”

- Woody talking about

Buzz Lightyear from

the 1996 Movie Toy

Story.

The AviatorNewsletter

(L-R) C/2d.Lt. Grady Bell & C/

CMSgt. Vince Peterson

(L-R) Capt. David Yost presents

2010 CAP Maj. Howell Balsem

“Award of Excellence” to 1st.

Lt. Scot Richardson



The Cadet Commanders Corner -

“Cadet Goals for end of 2011” Here are 5 basic goals I am proposing to be completed by the end of 2011 for the St. Croix squadroncadets who are eligible . I believe these are attainable and with a little bit of work by all members wecan achieve these together. 1. All cadets to have their GT3. 2. All cadets to promote every 90 days.3. All cadets to complete at least orientation flight. 4. All cadets who are eligible in 2011 to attend

MNWG encampment. 5. All cadets who are eligible in 2011 to attend MNWG NCOS or BOCS.

The mission of CAP cadet programs is it strives to be a quality that enhances the leadership skills of cadets. As cadets climb the leadership ladder they acquire leadership skills which will be vital to themthe rest of their lives. Cadets need to recognize this fact and take advantage of what this program hasto offer each and every one of them. CAP provides them opportunities which they would not beable to do normally. Cadets will develop leadership skills & experiences they will impact their lives

for years to come. Here is to a successful 2011! Cadet Commander, C/2d.Lt. Grady Bell

these two leaders.

With the combined logistical

abilities of both squadrons, this

event was hosted by the St.

Croix Squadron on 08 & 09

October 2010 with a brief

graduation ceremony at the

end of the training camp.

A total of 12 cadets had signed

up for the challenge of this two

day camp designed to push and

test the metal of all cadets who

participated. This two day

camp was about learning Emer-gency Services, Communica-

tions, Moral Leadership, Drill &

physical training, customs and

courtesy's and cadet protection

policies.

By the end of the two day

training session and a late Sat-

urday night the graduation

In a two day intensive training

schedule, the St. Croix and St.

Paul squadrons pulled togetherand conducted their first ever

joint Curry Camp.

Curry Camp was designed to

help new cadets to Civil Air

Patrol (CAP) wade through all

of the basic information and

training necessary to achieve

their first stripe.

When a cadet achieves their

first stripe to Airman, they

also earn the Gen. J.F. CurryAward and ribbon.

With the leadership and plan-

ning of both squadrons deputy

commanders for cadets, Capt.

Jay Sliwinski & 1st.Lt. Amy

Pahr, our first joint Curry

Camp was conceived and im-

plemented as the brain-child of

ceremony was a welcomed

final event. In the presence of

their parents and friends, the12 Curry Camp graduates had

a brief ceremony which was

held in the St. Croix hangar

each cadet received a promo-

tion to Cadet Airman (C/Amn.)

and their JF. Curry Certificates.

(L-R) Kyle Reinsberg, Alan

Larson, Joy Horn, Emily Esser,

Jonathan Wolff, Nathan

Heitala, Forbes Gefre, Sean

Blaeser, Rebecca Rogers, Doug

Vetter, Jacob Kummer, Robert

Moser. Congratulations!

St. Croix & St. Paul Host First Curry Camp!

“Citizens Serving Communities: Above and Beyond”

Promotions & Awards

Curry Camp Cadets C/Amn.

Valeriya Kolyadenko C/Amn.

Jomah Branovsky C/Amn.

Quong-Troc D Vu C/Amn. Justis Czarnik C/Amn.

Brandon Duetsch C/Amn.

Nathan Holle C/A1C.

Grant Starr C/SSgt.

Ryan Malcolm C/SSgt.

Mohammad Battah C/SSgt.

Zachary Langer C/MSgt.

Alex Swanson C/SMSgt.

Noah Hite C/CMSgt.

Ethan Pike C/CMSgt.

Michael Weston C/2d.Lt.

New MembersNew Cadet & Senior Members:

C/AB. Matt Heutmaker 13 Sept 10

C/AB. Kyle Reinsberg 13 Sept 10

SM. Susan Rogers 14 Sept 10

C/AB. Forbes Gefre 22 Sept 10

C/AB. Doug Vetter 22 Sept 10

C/AB. Jacob Kummer 29 Sept 10

C/AB. Brooke Menard 01 Oct 10

C/AB. Joy Horn 14 Oct 10

Member Count: 84

Seniors 37 & Cadets 47

St. Croix Composite Squadron

Minnesota Wing

Civil Air Patrol

U.S. Air Force Auxiliary

3275 Manning Ave. North

Box #9, Hangar 39E

Lake Elmo, MN. 55042

651-773-1210

www.stcroix.mncap.org

Squadron Commander:David W. Yost Capt., CAP.

[email protected]

Editor:Scott A. Richardson, 1st.Lt. CAP

Public Affairs Officer

[email protected]

651-387-2518

Next Issue: January 2011

Cadets of the Month

Awards & Promotions

MNWG ES Training

Color Guard Events

Wreaths Across America

Other events & stories

st croix squadron - nov 2010

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