Civil Air Patrol and Air Force JROTC cadets fly on C-17 cargo plane
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (Sep 20, 2023) – Forty-eight Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and Air Force JROTC members flew on a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft courtesy of the 167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard on September 14, 2023. The Civil Air Patrol members were from Winchester & Leesburg Composite Squadrons and the Air Force JROTC cadets were from Berkeley County Public Schools, West Virginia unit WV-071.
All members processed through metal detectors and then proceeded to a passenger waiting area. Various members of the 167th Airlift Wing shared about their careers and why they joined the Air National Guard while the group was waiting to board the C-17.
The orientation flight departed from the base and flew around West Virginia (towards Morgantown) before looping back around to Martinsburg.
Cadets were permitted to walk around the aircraft and also sat briefly in the cockpit and chatted with the pilots during the flight. A select few cadets also experienced the take off and landings from the cockpit.
The activity was a great experience for the cadets that attended. Many flew on a C-17 for the first time and/or experienced flight on a military aircraft and will be treasuring this as a life-long memory.
Cadet Airman Basic Nathanne Morcelo said, "The only negative thing I have to say is, I wish the flight could have been longer!”
PHOTOS: https://www.flickr.com/photos/vawgcap/albums/72177720311278534
About Virginia Wing
The Virginia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, with 22 squadrons spread throughout the Commonwealth has approximately 1,800 members, 12 light aircraft, and 29 multi-purpose vehicles. These assets are available to federal, state and local governments, emergency responders and law enforcement agencies to perform search and rescue, homeland security, disaster relief, humanitarian assistance and counter-drug missions. For more information on the Virginia Wing, visit the wing’s website at https://vawg.cap.gov/ and Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/vawgcap
About Civil Air Patrol
Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.
Visit CAP.news or GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
For More Information:
Maj. Jacob Bixler <jacob.bixler@vawg.cap.gov>
