Azle CAP announces Great Start class for cadets

AZLE — Azle Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, has announced that the next Great Start course for cadets will begin Sept. 17. Class sizes are limited and registrations are required to ensure adequate resource planning. Interested youth can register through the squadron’s website at azle.cap.gov, the Azle CAP Facebook page or by email at [email protected].

TX456 hosts the courses three times per year, with the next one being Sept. 17. Students in this course train and work their way up to their first rank as an airman. At the end of a five-week course, students are eligible to receive the John Curry Award. After completing the Great Start course, students join the rest of the squadron and participate in activities related to leadership, character development, aerospace, emergency services, safety, fitness, STEM and other topics. These cadets are also eligible to attend camp, which helps them further develop their leadership skills, increase their knowledge of the Civil Air Patrol and opens doors to national cadet specialty activities in aviation, military, leadership and technology.

The Cadet Great Start program provides youth and their parents with a comprehensive introduction to life as a Civil Air Patrol cadet. When asked about their experiences, past graduates of the program said they felt a warm welcome from everyone. A press release from Azle CAP said students expressed appreciation for the patience and guidance of the more senior cadets who taught many of the courses and the senior members who explained things in more detail when needed.

During the five-week course, prospective cadets are exposed to various elements of the CAP cadet program – leadership, aerospace training, physical fitness, character development and emergency services. Teamwork is a central theme of the course, with many activities requiring the prospective cadets to work together in groups and individually. In addition to these teamwork activities, they observe teamwork between the higher-ranking cadets and the senior members of the squadron in action. From learning to wear their uniform to interacting with other higher-ranking cadets and senior members, the youths develop confidence, goals and are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to receive the John Curry Award, the release said.

Major General John F. Curry served as CAP’s first national commandant in the early days of World War II. Under his leadership, CAP aircrews conducted missions of national importance including aerial search missions, border surveillance, towing aerial targets for the U.S. Navy, and searching for Nazi submarines. Receiving the John Curry Award signifies that a cadet has demonstrated a positive and optimistic attitude, is enthusiastic, and is team-oriented. Accompanying the award is a voucher that a cadet can use to purchase uniform items. By completing the Cadet Great Start program and its membership requirements and achieving their first rank, cadets are eligible for an orientation flight in a CAP aircraft with an experienced CAP pilot.