Civil Air Patrol passes U.S. Air Force evaluation

U.S. Air Force grades patrol on scenarios

EPHRATA — An aircraft was reported missing, there was an explosion at a ferry terminal on the other side of the state and the Ephrata airport base commander was absent.

Luckily it was only a test.

The Washington Wing of the Civil Air Patrol engaged in multiple mock emergency scenarios while members of the U.S. Air Force graded them, Patrol Capt. Paula Mangum, director of public affairs, said.

The evaluations are done because the patrol receives funding and resources from the Air Force. Resources include various aircraft and vehicles.

The simulations are done to prepare patrol members in case of an emergency, she said. They are evaluated once every two years.

Last weekend was the first time they were evaluated in Ephrata.

When the mock aircraft went missing, a ground team successfully located the craft and rescued the people acting as survivors, Mangum said.

When the mock explosion took place at a ferry terminal in Anacortes, a ground team went to work with the Red Cross to set up an aid station.

"The aircrew teams simulated transporting supplies back to the mission base," she said.

When the base commander left the shift, operations continued to run smoothly.

Then they faced a breach of security.

An evaluator posing as a distraught family member of someone who was involved in one of the scenarios made it in through an unsecured door. Civil Air Patrol members found the person and helped them while restoring security.

Overall, the U.S. Air Force evaluation team gave the patrol a grade of excellent.

The ground teams, flight line marshals and information officers received a grade of outstanding.

All other departments received grades ranging from successful to excellent.

The patrol serves as a search and rescue agency used by the aviation division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, Mangum said.

The patrol is made up of people as young as 12 years old. Many are getting a head start before they decide to join the Air Force while others decided to join because they never had the chance to do so, U.S. Air Force reserve Steven Bass said.

All members are volunteers.

The purpose of the program is to teach responsibility, accountability, leadership, aerospace education and emergency management, he said.

There are multiple classes and evaluations members must go through to gain promotions. The promotions and education is similar to the U.S. Air Force.

For more information, visit www.cap.gov.