Minnesota Wing, Civil Air Patrol (MNWG) is one of 52 Wings (50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.) of Civil Air Patrol (the official

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

Auxiliary) and helps fulfill Civil Air Patrol's core missions in Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, and Emergency Services. Minnesota Wing is headquartered in

Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota Inver Grove Heights is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 35,801 at the 2020 census. The city was formed on March 9, 1965, with the merger of the village of Inver Grove and Inver Grove Township. It is one of 1 ...

. The Wing is divided into four Groups. Each Group is, in turn, made up of 4 to 7 Squadrons. Minnesota Wing currently has 23 squadrons located throughout the state.

Aerospace Education

MNWG has been recognized nationally by National Headquarters CAP for outstanding performance with the Aerospace Education program. The week-long North Central Region flight academy is held each summer in

Mankato, Minnesota Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, Blue Earth, Nicollet County, Minnesota, Nicollet, and Le Sueur County, Minnesota, Le Sueur counties in the state of Minnesota. The population was 44,488 according to the 2020 United States ...

. Cadets have the option of attending a course focused on powered flight, or one focused on glider flight. In either school, cadets have the opportunity to log up to 20 hours of flight time, as well as solo should they demonstrate proficiency.

Cadet Programs

Most squadrons in MNWG include cadets (as either a Composite Squadron or a Cadet Squadron). North Hennepin Squadron in

Crystal, Minnesota Crystal is a first-ring suburban city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States that is about 5 miles from Downtown Minneapolis. The population was 22,151 at the 2010 census. Minnesota State Highway 100 and County Road 81 are two of the main ...

holds the distinction as being the first squadron in the nation to have a cadet program. Currently, there are 662 cadets in the Wing. Minnesota holds an annual Encampment at

Camp Ripley Camp Ripley is a military and civilian training facility operated by the Minnesota National Guard near the city of Little Falls in the central part of the state. The location of the camp was selected in 1929 by Ellard A. Walsh, Adjutant General ...

. Encampment is a 7- to 10-day cadet training activity that typically consists of between 80-100 students and 40 cadet staff. Encampment is held in mid- to late-Summer and is targeted for new (typically, first-year) cadets in the program, as well as providing opportunities for advanced cadets seeking management training. Additionally, a weekend of training focused on leadership known as the Minnesota Leadership Academy (MLA) is held each October at Camp Ripley for four days. It is divided into three schools, each specific to the rank and leadership level of the cadets attending.

Emergency Services

Minnesota Wing CAP Airplane DCDBCD8A98EBF

Minnesota Wing operates 19 aircraft (

Cessna 172 The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is an American four-seat, single-engine, high wing, fixed-wing aircraft made by the Cessna Aircraft Company.

and

Cessna 182 The Cessna 182 Skylane is an American four-seat, single-engined light airplane built by Cessna of Wichita, Kansas. It has the option of adding two child seats in the baggage area. Introduced in 1956, the 182 has been produced in a ...

airframes) along with trained ground teams to support operations in Search and Rescue, Disaster Relief, and Homeland Security.

Legal protection

Employers within the borders of Minnesota are required by law to provide employees who are also members of Civil Air Patrol an unpaid

leave of absence The labour law concept of leave, specifically paid leave or, in some countries' long-form, a leave of absence, is an authorised prolonged absence from work, for any reason authorised by the workplace. When people "take leave" in this way, they are ...

from employment when these employees are responding to a Civil Air Patrol mission, unless the leave would "unduly disrupt the operations of the employer."

References

External links

Minnesota Wing, CAP
;Unit links
130th Composite Squadron

Lakeville, MN Lakeville is an exurb of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, and the largest city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It is approximately south of both downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul along Interstate Highway 35. Starting as a flourishi ...

Anoka County Composite Squadron
Blaine, MN
Crookston Composite Squadron
Crookston, MN
Crow Wing Composite Squadron

Brainerd, MN Brainerd is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 14,395 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Crow Wing County. Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from its confluence with ...

Duluth Composite Squadron

Duluth, MN , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...

Ft. Snelling Cadet Squadron

Minneapolis, MN Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

Grand Rapids Composite Squadron

Grand Rapids, MN Grand Rapids is a city in Itasca County, Minnesota, United States, and it is the county seat. The population is 11,126 according to the 2020 census. The city is named for the long rapids in the Mississippi River which was the uppermost limit ...

Hutchinson Composite Squadron
Hutchinson, MN
Mankato Composite Squadron

Mankato, MN Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, Blue Earth, Nicollet County, Minnesota, Nicollet, and Le Sueur County, Minnesota, Le Sueur counties in the state of Minnesota. The population was 44,488 according to the 2020 United States ...

Minnesota State Legislative Squadron

St. Paul, MN Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...

Northland Composite Squadron

Bemidji, MN Bemidji ( ) is a city and the county seat of Beltrami County, in northern Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,574 at the 2020 census. According to 2021 census estimates, the city is estimated to have a population of 15,279, making it ...

North Hennepin Composite Squadron
Crystal, MN
Owatonna Composite Squadron

Owatonna, MN Owatonna () is a city in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 25,599 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Steele County. Owatonna is home to the Steele County Fairgrounds, which hosts the Steele County Free Fair i ...

Pipestone Senior Squadron
Pipestone, MN
Red Wing Composite Squadron
Red Wing, MN
Southeast MN Composite Squadron

Rochester, MN Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota, the city is the home and birthplace of the renowned Mayo Clinic. Accor ...

St. Cloud Composite Squadron

St. Cloud, MN St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 68,881 at the 2020 census, making it Minnesota's 12th-largest city. St. Cloud is the county seat of Stear ...

St. Croix Composite Squadron
Lake Elmo, MN
St. Paul Composite Squadron

Tri County Senior Squadron
Walker, MN
Viking Composite Squadron

Eden Prairie, MN Eden Prairie is a city southwest of downtown Minneapolis in Hennepin County and the 16th-largest city in the State of Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 64,198. The city is adjacent to the north bank of th ...

Worthington Composite Squadron
Worthington, MN {{US military navbox Wings of the Civil Air Patrol