WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. – Members of the Missouri Wing, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, will be participating in a statewide disaster training exercise on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Residents throughout the state may see CAP aircraft, ground teams, and small unmanned aircraft systems (drone) crews during the exercise.
Mission base will be at the Rolla National Airport in Vichy, Missouri. Additional staging areas across the state will include locations in Chesterfield, Lebanon, Moberly, Mountain View, and Sedalia.
Utilizing its earthquake disaster plan, developed in close cooperation with the Missouri National Guard and other state agencies, members and units of the Missouri Wing from across the state will participate in the following training tasks:
- Aerial damage and assessment photo reconnaissance of critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges, levees, and reservoirs.
- Ground team inspection of above critical infrastructure, as well as airport runways.
- Aircrew and ground team searches for missing aircraft and persons.
- Flight line marshalling of CAP aircraft at mission base and staging area airports.
- Damage assessment, disaster relief, and search and rescue training for small unmanned aircraft systems (drone) aircrew; including preparation of orthomosaic imagery.
- State-wide communication drills, including the use of an airborne communication repeater.
- Use of the National Incident Command System (ICS) for command and control.
- Continuous mission base staff training.
Formal search and rescue training exercises are held on a regular basis throughout the state several times each year. Additionally, the Missouri Wing is evaluated every other year by the U.S. Air Force to ensure that its members can perform as required for the missions they are entrusted with by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.
“The Missouri Wing constantly trains throughout the year for disasters that might hit our state, especially earthquakes along the New Madrid fault,” said Maj. Steve Vogt, Missouri Wing director of emergency services. “We remain an integral part of the state’s earthquake plan and are ready to assist when called upon.”
Acting as a Total Force partner and official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, Civil Air Patrol performs missions assigned by First Air Force to rapidly respond in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities capacity to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage, and provide humanitarian assistance.
About Missouri Wing
The Missouri Wing of the Civil Air Patrol is composed of over 800 members organized in almost thirty units located throughout the state. Assets include eight single-engine aircraft, twenty two vehicles, and extensive communication equipment. The wing conducted four search and rescue missions, twenty six training missions, as well as nine other state and federal support missions, in 2021 and was credited with two finds. Visit mowg.cap.gov for more information.
About Civil Air Patrol
Established in 1941, Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and as such is a member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 555 single-engine aircraft and 2,250 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and performs about 90% of all search and rescue operations within the contiguous United States as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Often using innovative cellphone forensics and radar analysis software, CAP was credited by the AFRCC with saving 108 lives last year. CAP’s 56,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. As a nonprofit organization, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace education using national academic standards-based STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education resources. Members also serve as mentors to over 23,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs. Visit www.CAP.News or www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information.