William P. Knight Composite Squadron
William P. Knight Composite Squadron (Herndon, VA)
Who We Are
William P. Knight Composite Squadron, aka the Knight Squadron, consists of nearly 70 adult and youth members from diverse backgrounds, volunteering together to serve our community, state, and nation. We are active within Northern Virginia, most notably, the Herndon, Reston, Dranesville, Dulles, Chantilly, and Sterling areas.
Civil Air Patrol senior members are adult volunteers (ages 18+) who want to use their experiences and skills to serve their community. Senior members serve as pilots, aircrew, radio operators, administrators, public affairs officers, ground team members, and mentors for youth.
If you are a professional in almost any field, we can show you how to use your skills in a volunteer setting help provide aerospace education, emergency services, and youth leadership development. Or, we can introduce you to activities that are totally different from your day job.
Civil Air Patrol cadets (ages 12-21) are inducted into the Cadet Program which transforms youth into dynamic Americans and aerospace leaders. The program follows a military model and emphases U.S. Air Force traditions and values. Cadets participate in a wide variety of activities during their cadet career, but it all starts with the weekly squadron meetings. At weekly meetings, cadets learn how to wear the uniform properly, participate in physical fitness, and how to perform precise drill movements as a team. Cadets also engage in discussions related to one’s character and living the Civil Air Patrol Core Values of Integrity, Volunteer Service, Excellence, and Respect.
We are proud of our cadets and their achievements including:
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Winner of the 2022 High Altitude Balloon Challenge Kittinger Cup
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Earned the Cadet Quality Unit Award for 2022 (fifth consecutive year.)
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1st Place in Virginia for the CyberPatriot challenge
Interested in joining us? Click here.
Accepting New Cadets Starting January 2024.
The William P Knight Composite Squadron is dedicated to providing new cadets with the best introduction to Civil Air Patrol. We achieve this through the Civil Air Patrol “Great Start” program focused on cohort recruiting. We welcome anyone interested in joining our squadron to contact us at any time to arrange a visit to observe our program. Please see the below schedule of important dates for any potential cadets interested in joining our program.
Important upcoming dates for potential new cadets:
Spring 2023 Great Start Schedule |
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4-Jan-24 |
Squadron open to potential cadet visitors |
11-Jan-24 |
Last day to join Great Start Cohort 2401 |
1-Feb-24 |
Great Start Cohort 2401 Graduation |
8-Feb-24 |
Squadron open to potential cadet visitors |
21-Mar-24 |
Last day to join Great Start Cohort 2402 |
25-Apr-24 |
Great Start Cohort 2402 Graduation |
2-May-24 |
Squadron open to potential cadet visitors |
20-Jun-24 |
Last day to join Great Start Cohort 2403 |
1-Aug-24 |
Great Start Cohort 2403 Graduation |
Follow Us!
Where We Meet
Regular meetings are held at Compass Classes, 520 Herndon Pkwy, Suite D, Herndon, VA 20170
Squadron Leadership
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Squadron Commander - Capt. Les Flores - lester.flores@vawg.cap.gov
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Deputy Commander for Seniors - 1st. Lt. Jason Lichau
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Deputy Commander for Cadets - Maj. Zoe Morozko
Contact Us / Join
Have further questions? Want to visit or contact us? Please contact us via the form provided here or via the email provided below.
Squadron Calendar
How to Become a Member
Parents, Grandparents, and Legal Guardians of cadets, you can join as an adult member too! If you have limited time but would like to occasionally drive or chaperone events you can become a cadet sponsor member at a reduced cost. Just ask at the unit you visit.
If you’ve read enough and you’re interested in joining us, read on.
Step 1 Contact us. The contact email is provided above.
Step 2 Attend three meetings. Ask lots of questions.
If you are visiting and you are over 18, let us know you're visiting and someone will show you around and answer any questions you may have.
If you are visiting and you are under 18, bring your parents and your questions! The best way to get to know us is to jump right into formation (we'll show you how). Here's who will help you:
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Cadet staff (young people in leadership positions),
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Cadet Program senior members (adult leaders are called “senior members”),
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The unit’s Deputy Commander for Cadets (senior member who leads the unit's cadet program).
Step 3 Verify identity. To accomplish this, you can either:
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Show us your passport, or
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Show us
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One Federal-, State-, or School-issued photo ID, AND
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Your birth certificate or Social Security Card.
There are a few other ways to accomplish this including some foreign passports, a permanent resident card, and more, but your local unit will help you with those details or you can read about them here.
Step 4 Apply online (cadets) or by paper form (adults).
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Senior Members, download this form, fill it out, and bring it with you.
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Cadet Sponsor Members, download this form, fill it out, and bring it with you.
Note please: All adult members are required to be fingerprinted and undergo FBI screening.
What does it cost?
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Senior Members: $53 (National & Wing Fee) + 50 (Squadron Dues)
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Cadets: $35 (National and Wing Fee) + $30 (Squadron Dues, includes patch)
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Cadet Sponsor Member: $30 (National Fee-only, no Wing/Squadron Dues)
Other Helpful Information
- New Cadet Guide (May 2019)
- Parent’s Guide to the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program (Feb 2020)
- Guía para padres disponibles en español (2006)
- Pilot Onboarding (Oct 2020)