The official publication of Minnesota Wing Civil Air Patrol
Minnesota Wing units complete winter training exercise
Capt. Richard J. Sprouse,
Group 2
A Winter Survival Training
Weekend was recently held
in northern Minnesota to
train CAP members for
cold weather search and
rescue operations.
The Northland Composite
Squadron in Bemidji
teamed up with squadrons
from Wesota (Willmar),
Hutchinson, Cass County
(Walker), St. Paul,
Lakeville and Crow Wing
(Brainerd) for two days of
training near a farm near
Laporte.
Cadets and seniors focused
on surviving in winter con-
ditions while conducting
search operations, as well
as cover shelter construc-
tion, land navigation, miss-
ing person searches, emer-
gency locator transmitter
searches in wooded areas,
night operations and much
more.
Participant's lived, slept and
ate outside. Normally,
January/February 2007
there's indoor shelter pro-
vided during a search, but
not this weekend.
Maj. Chet Wilberg,
Hutchinson Squadron and
ground team training offi-
cer for Minnesota, led the
exercise.
"We walked into our camp
site at night," Wilberg said.
"It was a little cold, but it
provided realistic training
conditions in the event of a
search and rescue mission
during a Minnesota winter."
Training also included safe-
ty, air-ground search coor-
dination, search lines and
crash site security.
Capt. Paul Pieper leads cadet to their campsite during
Additional classes on first the Minnesota Wing's 2007 Winter Survival Weekend,
aid, litter carry and use of Jan. 5-7 near Bemidji, Minn. Photo by Capt. Richard
an emergency locator trans- Sprouse
mitter for finding downed
aircraft were also provided,
along with a number practi-
cal training scenarios.
Approximately 40 cadets
and senior members partici-
pated in the exercise.
Minnesota Wing cadets
set up camp during the
2007 Winter Survival
Weekend, Jan 5-7, near
Bemidji, Minn.
Page 2 WingTips January/February 2007

Minnesota cadet squadron flies with Northwest Airlines

Capt. Richard Sprouse,
Group II
Twenty members of the
North Star Cadet Squadron
in St. Cloud, Minn., recent-
ly toured the Northwest
Airlines Training Facility in
Eagan, Minn.
Col. Michael Huttner, a
member of the U.S. Air
Force Reserve and a
Northwest pilot and trainer,
hosted the group. Members
were given an extensive
tour of the facility and put
behind the controls of a
DC-10 simulator.
"It was so realistic," said Col. Michael Huttner (right), a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve and a
Capt. Pat Cruze, North Star Northwest Airlines pilot and trainer, greeted members of St. Cloud's North Star
member who organized the Cadet Squadron during their recent visit to the Northwest Airlines Training Facility
visit. "As the jet rolled in Eagan, Minn. Photo by Capt. Richard Sprouse
down the tarmac during
take-off, you could look out the Honolulu Airport. I five minutes on the DC-10 close examination of poli-
the aircraft's windows and thought I was actually simulator as both pilot and cies and procedures,
see buildings and other flying." co-pilot. They were also Northwest is once again
facilities of a mock up of Everyone was given about given demonstrations on allowing groups like Civil
exiting an aircraft in an Air Patrol cadets to use the
emergency. simulator."
WingTips is a publication of
Minnesota Wing Civil Air Patrol, "It was a big tour, we did a Overall, the cadets were
U.S. Air Force Auxiliary lot," said Lt. Shawn "psyched about the experi-
6275 Crossman Lane Warneke. ence and thought that the
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076 The visit was the result of view was cool," said Cruze.
www.mncap.org months of planning and the When asked if they would
wingtips@mncap.org cooperation of Northwest some day like to fly such an
Airlines. aircraft, they enthusiastical-
ly said, "Yes!"
The views expressed, either written or implied, are not neces- "9-11 changed a lot of
sarily those of the U.S. Air Force, the Civil Air Patrol or things and Northwest Northwest retired its DC-10
Minnesota Wing. Submissions should be sent to the above
Airlines had to put such fleet after 34 years of serv-
email address. ice Jan. 8, 2007, following
requests on hold due to
Wing Commander: Col. Steve Miller a flight from Honolulu to
national security reasons,"
Wing Public Affairs Officer: Capt. Al Pabon the Minneapolis/St. Paul
Wingtips Editor: Lt. Col. Shannon Bauer Cruze said. "But after a
International Airport.
January/February 2007
Students like new Squadron
Leadership School curriculum
He said the new Squadron
by Capt. Richard Sprouse,
Group II
The below zero tempera-
tures outside the hangar
were cold, but the training
inside was hot, as about 25
members of the Minnesota
Wing converged on the
Anoka County-Blaine
Airport, Feb. 9-10, to take a
test flight of Civil Air
Patrol's new Squadron
Leadership School
curriculum.
With software containing
state of the art graphics,
high resolution pictures and
clips from Hollywood
movies, serving as case
studies illustrating leaders
in action for students to
analyze, members received
an eye-popping presenta-
tion on leadership, profes-
sional development, the
role squadrons play in CAP,
creative thinking and prob-
lem solving. Those attend-
ing said it was a top-shelf
look on preparing members
to contribute at the
squadron level.
"Awesome!" said 2nd Lt.
Chris Gallus, Anoka
County Squadron member
."It was a fun presentation,
filled with lots of great,
useful information."
1st Lt. Tom Lucey,
Minnesota Wing director of
professional development,
helped organize the session.
WingTips Page 3
Leadership School curricu-
lum is still in the draft
stage and is the result of
years of hard work by CAP
staff.
"It's the first time we've
used the new SLS
[Squadron Leadership
School] program in
Minnesota. I think it's
going to prove very popular
here and throughout all of
CAP," Lucey said.
It wasn't all a slick comput-
er presentation laced with
movie clips. There was a
bevy of experienced
Minnesota Wing officers, Col. Steve Miller, Minnesota Wing commander, discuss-
including Minnesota Wing es creative thinking, problem solving, common mis-
Commander Col. Steve takes and their relationship to teamwork at the
Miller and Vice squadron level. Photo by Capt. Richard Sprouse
Commander Lt. Col. Tom
Kettell, presiding over each
session and sharing their
first-hand knowledge and
experience on squadron
leadership.
Said Miller about the class,
"There's no better way to
open the lines of communi-
cation on leadership, on
solving problems or intro-
ducing new ideas than at a
session such as this that
involves a number of indi-
viduals from different
backgrounds all within the
Minnesota Wing working
toward the same goal - a
better, smarter and stronger
CAP, here and across the
Lt. Col. Tom Kettell, Minnesota Wing vice command-
nation.”
er, talks about the importance of influence, confidence,
persuasion and motivation. Photo by Capt. Richard
Sprouse
January/February 2007
Senior member & cadet
officer promotions ...
Lt. Col.
Dan McDowell, Minnesota Wing
Major
Terry Dull, Viking
Marty Seifert, Minnesota State Legislative
Rahn Workcuff, North Hennepin
Captain
Stephen Denmark, St. Paul
Randy Donahue, Worthington
Thomas Eeten, Southeast Minnesota
Earl Gibson, Northwest Minnesota
Seth Grenke, Hutchinson
Daniel Pekearo, St. Paul
Megan Schroeder, North Hennepin
Joe Schwartz, St. Paul
Michael Zaske, St. Cloud
1st Lieutenant
Susan Blessman, North Hennepin
James Bouma, St. Cloud
Robert Olsen, St. Paul
Norine Olson, Valley
Gary Schaedler, St. Paul
2nd Lieutenant
Todd Castner, North Hennepin
James Fallon, North Hennepin
Nathanial George, St. Pual
Dennis Gustafson, Northland
Jonathan Johnson, Red Wing
Curtis Smerud, North Hennepin
Shelly Supan, Anoka
Dutch Van Vranken, Northland
Jacqueline Watt, North Hennepin
C/Lt. Col.
Laura Broker, Viking
C/2nd Lieutenant
Kenneth Fearon, Red Wing
Emily Jensen, Crow Wing
WingTips Page 4
Wing Conference fast approaching
by Capt. Al Pabon, Minnesota Wing
Mark your calendars and register early! This year's annual
Minnesota Wing conference will be held at Breezy Point
Resort in Breezy Point, Minn., from April 19-22.
The theme this year is "Preparing Today for Tomorrow's
Missions."
One of the big changes this year is that the conference
will start Friday afternoon with emergency services train-
ing. Additionally, the military ball will be included in your
registration fee. All seniors and cadets are encouraged to
attend. There will be a live band, cadet king and queen
coronation, cadet and senior dance contests, door prizes
and exciting group events.
For more information see: www.mncap.org.
Officers complete advanced training
by Capt. Al Pabon, Minnesota Wing
Minnesota Wing conducted its first Corporate Learning
Course of 2007 at the Twin Cities Air Reserve Station in
Minneapolis, Jan. 13.
Twenty-three students from the Michigan, Minnesota and
North Dakota wings attended the two-day course.
The Corporate Learning Course discusses the relationship
the CAP squadron has with the next major echelon of
command -- the wing. Specifically, the course teaches
how wing-level operations help to accomplish CAP's three
missions of aerospace education, emergency services and
cadet programs. It describes the working relationships
wing staff officers have with each other and their
squadron level counterparts.
Members of the Minnesota Wing Staff presented the
course, which was directed by Capt. Janelle Gates, Valley
Squadron.
Momentous Occasion ...
Owatonna Squadron celebrated a cadet change of com-
mand ceremony Feb. 13. C/Master Sgt. Dan Cole
accepted command from C/Capt. Annie Dally.
C/1st Lt. Andrew Puckett was selected as the command-
er of BlackCAP 2007, and C/Master Sgt. Travis Parker
was selected as its first sergeant.