California Wing of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the highest echelon of

Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...

in the state of

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. California Wing

headquarters Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...

are located in Van Nuys, California. California Wing consists of over 3,000 cadet and adult members at over 77 locations across the state of California.

Mission

California Wing performs the three missions of Civil Air Patrol: providing

emergency services Emergency services and rescue services are organizations that ensure public safety and health by addressing and resolving different emergencies. Some of these agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies, while others deal wit ...

; offering cadet programs for youth; and providing

aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astrona ...

educatio
for both CAP members and the general public.

Emergency services

California Wing provides emergency services, including

search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

missions, disaster relief missions, providing

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...

support, and assisting in counter-drug missions. In March 2020, members of California Wing partnered with the

American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...

to serve meals to children in the Los Angeles area while schools remained closed amid the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

Cadet programs

Youth aged 12–18 may enter a CAP cadet program. At the age of 18, they may become a senior member or stay as a cadet. Cadets that decide to stay as a cadet may continue until they become 21. The cadet program provides a 16 step program covering aerospace education, leadership training, physical fitness and moral leadership. California Wing offers an annual summer encampment for cadets to further their skills.

Aerospace education

Civil Air Patrol provides aerospace education for both volunteer CAP members and the general public. The internal education program for CAP members educates senior and cadet members; the external program for the general public is provided through workshops offered through the nation's education system.

Organization

California CAP cadet salutes American flag

California Wing is divided into eight groups across the state, with each squadron being assigned as a component of a group based on its geographical location.

Legal protection

Members of Civil Air Patrol who are employed within the borders of California are guaranteed ten days of unpaid leave from their employer when responding to emergencies as a member of Civil Air Patrol, under California Labor Code § 1503.

References

External links

California Wing Civil Air Patrol official website

Civil Air Patrol – United States Air Force Auxiliary website
{{US military navbox Aviation in California Wings of the Civil Air Patrol Education in California Military in California Organizations based in Los Angeles Van Nuys