FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. –
Following a year hiatus due to COVID-19, more than 80 cadets from six states descended on Fort Indiantown Gap (FTIG) last week for the Civil Air Patrol – Pennsylvania Wing’s annual encampment.
During the weeklong event, cadets ages 12 to 16, undergo intensive training, stay in barracks, and learn from a contingent of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadre. By holding the annual event at FTIG, which is one of the busiest National Guard training sites in the U.S. and headquarters of the Pennsylvania National Guard (PNG), cadets are treated to a range of special opportunities, including engaging with PNG senior leaders, exposure to a wide range of military professions and seeing, hearing and experiencing a variety of military equipment.
Among the leaders meeting with cadets this year was Maj. Gen. Mark McCormack, commander of the 28th Infantry Division. McCormack presented the prestigious General Carl A. Spaatz Award to Cadet Col. Colin Phipps, who is set to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point this fall.
Brig. Gen. Michael Regan, commander of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, and Chief Master Sergeant Sgt. Paul Frisco, the state command chief, also met with cadets and their cadre throughout the week. Regan presided over the culminating graduation and parade.
“The Pennsylvania Air National Guard has always had a good relationship with the Civil Air Patrol, and it is a relationship we strengthen every year by working alongside one another during emergency response operations and collaborating on events like the annual encampment,” Regan said.
“CAP cadets embody the same qualities we look for in our airmen and exemplify many of the Air Force core values,” Regan added. “I look forward to the opportunity to engage with the youngest cadets every year during their encampment and watch as they grow into leaders.”
The annual encampment is part of Civil Air Patrol’s Cadet Training School, a nationally recognized, multi-tiered program to cultivate future leaders.