Leesburg Civil Air Patrol places second at 2024 Cadet Competition
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- A legacy of excellence for Civil Air Patrol’s Virginia Wing continues as cadets from the Leesburg Composite Squadron have won second place at the highest level of Civil Air Patrol’s Cadet Competition program.
This team was led by Cadet 1st Lt. Catalina Dodson and accompanied by Cadet Maj. Michael Pfingsten, Cadet Capt. Dawson Jensen, Cadet Capt. Grant McGee, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jordan Turnquist, and Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Benaiah Lichti. Capt. Christopher Freeze and 1st Lt. Elizabeth McGee were the escorts for the team.
Their journey began as a team that formed in only April, in preparation for the wing level of competition. They practiced often in the weeks leading up to the competition, "the team had come together so quickly and established a team dynamic that allowed us to succeed at the competition,” said Cadet 2nd Lt. Clara McGee, “knowing that we had to build a strong team in the aspects of color guard, drill and ceremonies, physical fitness, and knowledge rapidly required us to set aside more time and commitment towards this event.”
At the state level, the Leesburg team placed second and cemented their spot to the next (and final) level of competition: the region competition. “We had the opportunity to showcase our skills at the region level, and that is super exciting," exclaimed Cadet Capt. Dawson Jensen.
At the region competition, the Leesburg cadets faced fierce competition from wings as far south as South Carolina, to as north as Maryland. “I had barely even touched a flag before Cadet Competition, yet, when it came down to it, the team prepared, trained, and became as good as we could become before the region competition,” said Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jordan Turnquist when asked about her feelings before the competition.
With the addition of an unmanned ariel system (sUAS) component, as well as public speaking and panel quiz, the Leesburg cadets prevailed to top the standings for the Written Exam, Team Leadership Problem, Physical Testing, and Panel Quiz aspects of the competition. They also won third place in the Outdoor Posting of the Colors component.
When reflecting on their experience, Cadet 1st Lt. Catalina Dodson explained, “with our team having no prior experience before the wing level competition, I was elated when we won second overall and first in multiple other regional events. I truly could not have asked for a better team. They worked hard at this competition and greatly exceeded my expectations.”
For More Information:
Virginia Wing Public Affairs pa @ vawg.cap.gov
