Maryland Wing is host to IACE visitors

Maryland Wing will once again be host to participants of the International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE) who are traveling to the United States to experience our culture. Participants meet in Washington, DC, with members of the Civil Air Patrol from around the nation for several days of sightseeing before proceeding to their host Wing.

Beginning on July 25 and lasting until August 4, Maryland Wing will host five IACE participants from Hong Kong and Israel. Our guests will travel around the Wing, staying with host families and visiting many sights along the way. They will learn about the Civil Air Patrol and aviation along with experience historical and fun activities as well. Along with staff members from Maryland Wing, several squadrons will be assisting with this year’s IACE hosting: Carroll Composite Squadron, St. Mary’s Composite Squadron, Fort McHenry Composite Squadron, and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Composite Squadron.

Maryland Wing members and IACE participants will be keeping a blog of their travels, providing regular updates on their experiences and insights. The blog can be viewed at www.iacemarylandusa.wordpress.com. We hope to provide photos as we go along in our travels as well.  The blog also features the day by day schedule of the IACE Maryland Wing program.

The schedule is very full and will include the following:

• Gettyburg National Battlefield
• CAP National Honor Guard Academy
• Western Maryland
• Inner Harbor in Baltimore
• Fort McHenry
• Baltimore Ravens Training Camp
• Warfield Air National Guard Base
• Weide Army Airfield
• Hershey Park
• Carroll County 4H Fair
• Orientation Flights on CAP aircraft
• Andrews Air Force Base
• Patuxent River Naval Air Station
• CAP squadron meeting
• Other activities including BBQs, swimming, and shopping

Following their stay in Maryland Wing, the IACE participants will return to Washington, DC, where Civil Air Patrol members will assist them in their return travels to their home countries.

Additional information about the International Air Cadet Exchange can be found at www.iacea.com. For information on how to become involved with Civil Air Patrol’s IACE program, visit www.cap.gov/iace.

The Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U. S. Air Force, was founded on Dec. 1, 1941, less than a week before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U. S. into World War II. CAP is a nonprofit organization with more than 56,000 members nationwide. The organization’s members perform 95 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, and were credited by the AFRCC with saving 103 lives in fiscal year 2007. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies.

Members take a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the almost 25,000 young people currently participating in the CAP Cadet Program. CAP’s cadet programs provide young men and women with a safe and motivating environment in which to grow and explore opportunities in the military and aviation industries. CAP has been performing mission for American for more than 63 years.

There are approximately 1,300 members of CAP in Maryland. Last fiscal year wing members flew 42 search and rescue missions and were credited with 31 finds. For more information, visit www.mdcap.org.

Brenda Reed, Capt, CAP
Public Affairs Officer
Civil Air Patrol Maryland Wing

Civil Air Patrol and international cadets expand horizons with IACE

Civil Air Patrol and international cadets expand horizons through International Air Cadet Exchange

Washington, DC – The Civil Air Patrol, International Air Cadet Exchange Program, kicks off this Saturday, July 19 which sets out to foster international goodwill through the International Air Cadet Exchange.

The International Air Cadet Exchange gives about 70 CAP cadets and 16 escorting officers an opportunity to serve as ambassadors by visiting participating countries and promoting international friendship and understanding through a common focus on aviation. Cadets will be selected to visit one of the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Turkey or the United Kingdom. CAP members also host foreign teens and international officers and escorts visiting the U.S., who participate in aviation-related events alongside them. In addition to the countries above, cadets from Israel and Ghana will participate in the U.S. phase of IACE. The inbound program starts in Washington DC where participants have an opportunity to visit government officials and tour the nation’s capitol before setting out to one of the following states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington.

The delegation that is visiting Maryland comes from Israel and Hong Kong, during their visit to Maryland we anticipate visits to historical sites in Gettysburg, Pa., western Maryland, and Annapolis; aviation and military sites at Warfield Air National Guard Base, Weide Army Air Field, and Andrews Air Force Base; and we’ll take some time for fun at Hershey Park and the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.

IACE is conducted by the International Air Cadet Exchange Association, a league of 19 air cadet organizations. CAP has sponsored cadet participation in the program since 1948.

The activity is one of about 30 National Cadet Special Activities being sponsored by CAP across the nation this summer. These activities allow cadets to hone their skills in a variety of areas, including search and rescue, flight and emergency services, science, leadership fundamentals, citizenship and military courtesies, and to explore aerospace technology and aviation careers. In 2007, more than 1,200 youth participated in 31 CAP-sponsored summer activities.

Through its cadet program, CAP builds strong citizens for the future by providing leadership training, technical education, scholarships and career education to young men and women, ages 12 to 20.

Civil Air Patrol, the auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with more than 56,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 103 lives in fiscal year 2007. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the nearly 22,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 65 years.

For more information about CAP or its cadet program, visit www.cap.gov.

There are approximately 1,300 members of CAP in Maryland. Last fiscal year wing members flew 42 search and rescue missions and were credited with 31 finds. For more information, visit www.mdcap.org.

Ms. Julie DeBardelaben
Deputy Director Public Affairs
Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters