Left Seat

Open Mic night, 21 August at 1900

Congratulation to the members of the Alaska Wing on winning the 2021 Civil Air Patrol Search and Rescue Award!

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On a Friday in July, 2d Lt Tully Ward-Hamer and 2d Lt Benjamin David Jacob executed a SAR training mission with the 185 amphib, N185HS. They departed Merrill Field in Anchorage and began the practice with a grid search south of Flat Horn Lake in GARS quadrant 060NQ1. Upon receiving a practice ELT signal they began using wing null techniques and DF instrumentation in the aircraft to locate the source of the practice ELT signal west of the Yentna River. Upon locating the signal, the practice search was declared a success and the crew landed to pay a visit to Lt Col Bryan Emerson and his wife, Laura, who live there. The Emersons shared some tea and cookies to the great appreciation of the flight crew! After a short visit, the flight crew departed back toward Merrill to close out a successful SAR training mission.

By C/Lt Col Annika Ziesmer

On August 7th and 8th, cadets from as far away as National Capital Wing gathered at the Polaris Composite Squadron hanger for the 2021 Alaska Wing Noncommissioned Officer Academy (NCOA). Students spent the weekend taking an in-depth look into drill and ceremonies, proper wear of the uniform, and most importantly, learned how to conduct themselves as NCOs.

This is not the first time such an activity has been run in Alaska Wing, however the hope is that this NCOA will be the first to occur on an annual basis. The reason is because the NCOA aims to fill a gap in our cadet’s training between activities like encampment which focus on creating foundational knowledge for cadets and programs such as Cadet Officer School or Region Cadet Leadership School which provide more advanced training for our cadet officers. Despite differing from these activities because it is not a requirement for cadet promotions, the training these cadets receive through the NCOA is every bit as valuable and sets them up for success throughout their cadet careers and beyond.

Congratulations to C/MSgt Orion Bender (AK-017), C/TSgt Rick Benedict (AK-076), C/TSgt Dylan Pittsenbargar (AK-015), C/SrA William Fry (AK-076), and C/SrA Benjamin Parker (AK-076) on successfully completing this course.

Special thanks to the members, both the seniors and cadets, who volunteered their time to help make the 2021 NCOA a success: Col Kevin McClure (AK-001), Maj Benjamin Padgett (AK-093), Maj Caleb Newville (AK-015), Capt Karen Padgett (AK-093), FO Samuel Meaders (AK-093), TSgt Relja Lukic (AK-015), SM Kevin Clemmons (AK-015), C/Lt Col Alan Padgett (AK-093), C/Lt Col Annika Ziesmer (AK-093), C/Maj Katarina Lukic (AK015), C/2d Lt Sofie Lukic (AK-015), C/2d Lt Jalen Vincent (DC-033), C/ CMSgt Christopher McGoffin (AK071), C/MSgt Madeline Ashlock (AK093), C/MSgt Taran Harris-Barnes (AK-093), C/MSgt Lillian Monroe (AK-093), and C/TSgt Logan Sabo (AK-015).

Photos (left to right): C/CMSgt McGoffin checks C/TSgt Benedict’s rank insignia during an inspection; C/SrA Parker takes notes during a class; Group photo taken at the 2021 NCOA graduation.