The Wisconsin Wing of the 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

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

. Wisconsin 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

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

. The Wisconsin Wing consists of over 1000 cadet and adult members at multiple locations across the state of Wisconsin.

Mission

The Wisconsin Wing performs the three missions of the 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 ...

education for both CAP members and the general public.

Emergency services

The Civil Air Patrol performs emergency services missions, 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 ...

(SAR) missions directed by the

Air Force Rescue Coordination Center {{Use dmy dates, date=January 2021 As the United States' inland search and rescue (SAR) coordinator, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) serves as the single agency responsible for coordinating on-land federal SAR activities in the Unit ...

. Aircrews can perform visual and electronic searches, while ground teams home in on the search target with direction finding equipment. After a disaster, Civil Air Patrol personnel provide humanitarian support, including air/ground transportation, as well as an extensive communications network.

Cadet programs

The Civil Air Patrol offers cadet programs for youth aged 12 to 21. Cadets participate in CAP activities, practice leadership skills, and learn academic material. The curriculum of the cadet program is composed of physical fitness, leadership development, character development and aerospace education. Cadets may earn promotions and more advanced leadership positions as they progress through the program.

Aerospace education

The Civil Air Patrol offers aerospace education to both its own members and the general public. The Civil Air Patrol provides aerospace education for CAP cadets and senior members by providing trips to conventions, airports, military bases, and other related places of aerospace interest. To educate the public, the CAP informs the general public about aviation and space activities and supports thousands of aerospace education workshops for teachers at colleges and universities around the country. The Civil Air Patrol also maintains working relationships with local education agencies and several national organizations such as the

FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

and the

Air Force Association The Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit, professional military association for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, its declared mission is " ...

to facilitate aerospace education in schools.

Organization

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

Legal protection

Employers within the borders of Wisconsin are required by law to give their employees who are members of the Civil Air Patrol up to fifteen days annually (though no more than five consecutive days at a time) of unpaid

leave Leave may refer to: * Permission (disambiguation) ** Permitted absence from work *** Leave of absence, a period of time that one is to be away from one's primary job while maintaining the status of employee *** Annual leave, allowance of time away ...

if those employees are called to respond to an emergency as a part of the Civil Air Patrol. Employers are forbidden from discriminating against a potential employee due to his or her membership in the Civil Air Patrol.

References

External links

Wisconsin Wing Civil Air Patrol official website
{{US military navbox Wings of the Civil Air Patrol Education in Wisconsin Military in Wisconsin