News
2011 KCCS Annual Awards Highlights
The 2011 Annual KCCS Awards Event recognized accomplishments of our cadets and senior members.
KCCS was honored to have our awards presented by Brigadier General Deborah Rose, United States Air Force.
Among the awards given this year were the Air Force Association Cadet of the Year Award, the Air Force Sergeants Association Cadet NCO of the Year, and the VFW Outstanding Officer Award. TheVFW Outstanding NCO Award was also awarded.
Local KCCS awards were also given to deserving cadets, including Cadet of the Year, Officer of the Year, and NCO Award, as well as Most Improved Cadet. Congratulations to our KCCs cadets. Thank you for your contributions this year, and congratulations on all your remarkable accomplishments!
KCCS Awarded 2011 Kansas Wing Squadron of Merit
The KCCS Squadron has been honored with the 2011 Kansas Squadron of Merit, achieving excellence in the disciplines of squadron strength, member growth, Cadet achievements, encampment participation, and Cadet orientation flights.
We are a proud part of the Kansas Wing made up of outstanding CAP squadrons throughout Kansas. Our fine Kansas Wing is an integral part of the North Central Region and the 60,000 member U.S. Civil Air Patrol serving our communities, states, and nation.
We are grateful for this recognition which inspires us to work even harder to acheive excellence in all our activities. KCCS continues to work to learn and grow to become the best squadron we can be. Thanks to our outstanding Kansas Wing leadership for their continuous support!
KCCS Chaplain Awarded Kansas Wing Chaplain of the Year
Major Dennis Thompson again has distinguished himself—this time as the 2011 Kansas Wing Chaplain of the Year. Major Thompson serves our squadron well as our intrepid Chaplain, and has completed Level 4--Command & Staff Level--of CAP's Senior Member training. Please join us in congratulating our Chaplain Thompson for this outstanding achievement.
Cadets Complete Kansas City Junior Police Academy
KCCS’s Cadets have successfully completed the Kansas City Junior Police Academy this spring. The comprehensive month-long academy provided our Cadets access to top leadership in the KC Police Department, a better understanding of policing of our community, and demonstrations from the Bomb Squad, SWAT, K9 Unit, Traffic, and community policing. We are grateful to the KCPD for rolling out the red carpet to our squadron, and we consider them our close partners in serving our Kansas City community.
KCCS Contributes to Missouri Flood Missions
KCCS ES personnel have been participating in aircrew missions in support of Federal and State Emergency Management agencies in assessing the widespread flooding in Missouri. KCCS has deployed Mission Pilots, Observers, and Scanners for this critcal mission. Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska Wings are partnering closely with Federal and State Emergency Management agencies to help our communities.
From CAP National Website: "This is an outstanding example of how joint operations between several different agencies cooperatively can get the mission accomplished," said Missouri Wing Incident Commander Lt. Col. Dennis Pearson. "Only through such cooperation will we continue the effective fight against the ongoing extensive flooding."
CAP aircrews from the Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska Wings are providing daily aerial photo reconnaissance of the extensive flooding of the Missouri River (weather permitting) from the Iowa border to near Jefferson City in the center of the state, including continued close attention to the rising floodwaters around Rosecrans Air National Guard Base near St. Joseph, Mo.
To date aircrews have flown a total of 67 sorties, comprising almost 120 flight-hours, and have taken more than 2,400 digital photographs.
Specific taskings include aerial reconnaissance of the flood progression of the Missouri River and its tributaries; condition of levees including overtoppings, breaches, seepage, and sand boils; accessibility of roads and bridges; community impact assessment; status of specific dams, power plants, water treatment facilities and other critical infrastructure; status of the Rosecrans Air National Guard Base near St. Joseph, Mo.; and reporting of other anomalies or visible sheen on the water.
"During this unprecedented season of natural disasters, our members continue to overcome all challenges to get the mission accomplished," said Missouri Wing Commander Col. Erica Williams. "We are especially indebted to those members of CAP's Kansas and Nebraska wings who continue to assist with our flood flights along the Missouri River."
Our Kansas City Composite team is priveleged to continue to do our part to support CAP's Emergency Services Mission, work to develop our squadron’s mission readiness, and provide excellent support to our regional Emergency Management agency partners.
KCCS Fall Emergency Training
Our KCCS squadron cadets continue to sharpen their Emergency Serivces skills by holding a Fall ES Training Bivouac.
Twenty-two CAP Cadets and Senior members participated in an Emergency Services Training Bivouac on October 14-15, 2011, including two cadets from the Sedalia Squadron, and one Senior Member from Lee’s Summit. Two training tracks—one basic, and one advanced—facilitated the completion of 32 Ground Team Tasks, 12 advanced GT tasks, and 29 GTL tasks, as well as corresponding ES Exercises.
The ES training was reinforced by putting the completed tasks into immediate practice in several day and night Search and Rescue Training Exercises. Additional Ground Team Leader tasks were completed by the bivouac leaders as a function planning and conducting the ES training exercises. Outstanding Mission Incident Command and additional training were provided by Lt. Col Dennis Pierson, and Lt. Col Duane Filkins.
A core mission of Civil Air Patrol is to provide effective Emergency Services to our communities as the U.S. Airforce's Official Auxilliary. KCCS takes this Emergency Services role seriously and we actively train as a squadron to enhance our mission readiness for Search & Rescue and Aircrew operations.
Our ES Bivouac was successful, our squadron was equipped, teamwork was developed, and our squadron had a great time together. Stay tuned for more opportunities for ES training.
