CIVIL AIR PATROL, MONTANA WING

TRANSPONDER

DECEMBER 2011 JANUARY 2012

Civil Air Patrol - Citizens Serving Communities: Above and Beyond
Captain Bruce Kipp Wing Director of Public Affairs (406) 942-0098 pa@mtwg-cap.us

WING TIPS
HOT NEWS: Please inform Lt Col Lynch if you will attend the MTWG Leadership Conference on 14 January. Each of you is responsible for a significant aspect of CAP programs in Montana Wing and we would appreciate your being there. Well convene sharply at 1000 and end promptly at 1600. The conference will be in the RTI Building at Ft Harrison. Lunch will be provided for a nominal fee once there is a better handle on how many will attend. Coffee and other refreshments will be available. Each staff officer should prepare a 25 minute presentation on a topic relevant to your program. Also included in the program will be presentations by Col Cahalen and Joe Macklin. There will also be a one hour leadership seminar that day. To insure we get everyone on the program in the time allotted, well have a working lunch. Please pass this information to those in your units whom you feel will benefit by this conference. Unit commanders may invite their DCC's HOT NEWS: DUE by 15 January: EACH squadron take note: In addition to CAP cadet awards, the Air Force Association provides the Outstanding Squadron Cadet Award for every squadron and the National CAP Aerospace Education Cadet of the Year Award as well as others. See What AFA Does for CAP. HOT NEWS: Membership ID and Photo Card Information: The new CAP membership card policy is in effect. Senior members (including Fifty-Year & Life members) and cadets over age 18 will receive a new photo membership card at no cost when they join CAP or renew their membership. Senior members without a photo on file will get the new photo membership card with the words Picture not available printed on the card where a photo would have been. As of 1 Jan 2012, it is mandatory for all CAP senior members to have a photo on file in eServices. Cadets over 18 without a photo on file will have their name printed on the card in the same way as non-photo membership cards; the photo is optional for them. Members will be charged $3 each for a duplicate or replacement card, which can be ordered online via eServices or by calling Membership Services toll-free at 877-227-9142. New membership cards will no longer be automatically distributed when members are promoted or transfer units. The new gray CAP membership card replace both the old blue CAP ID card and the optional $4 photo ID card, which are no longer available. For information on the ID Card guidelines and uploading your photo see http://www.capmembers.com/cap_national_hq/member_services/membership_card_guide.cfm CAP partnership with Wreaths Across America to pay tribute to U.S. veterans by placing wreaths on the graves of the fallen during the holiday season, grew to new heights in 2011. Wreaths were placed on more than 325,000 veterans graves at over 700 cemetery or memorial sites in all 50 states, and at more than 20 foreign locations. CAP members led or participated with color and honor guards in many of the ceremonies. Over 600 CAP units were involved in this years initiative. The Montana Wing wrap-up report on wing-wide activities in December for Wreaths Across America has been published. If you have not seen it let Capt Kipp (pa@mtwgcap.us) know and hell send you a copy

 CAPs Facebook page is a great way to keep up with the latest news, events and announcements about CAP. As a fan, you have the option of receiving all posted news, events and announcements directly to your computer or phone via text message. You can read the latest information and also comment on or like any article, video or photo. To become a fan go to www.facebook.com/pages/Civil-Air-Patrol/107647995924164 and click the like button at the top of the page Civil Air Patrol and the Air Force Association enjoy a strong, mutually supportive partnership. The two organizations have joined to collaborate, leverage resources, and work to the common goal of helping defend our nation with the strength of air, space and cyber space power. To learn more about how CAP and AFA work together, visit http://www.capmembers.com/afa. Help support this partnership by becoming a member of the Air Force Association. Join online at https://www.afa.org/newforms/membership.aspx 2012 CAP Appointment Calendar Goes Virtual: To save money and pursue a paperless philosophy, the annual CAP appointment calendar will no longer be printed/mailed to the regions and wings. The calendar is available at www.capmembers.com/events in a variety of formats, including Acrobats pdf and Outlooks csv The December 2011 issue of the Safety Beacon, the official safety newsletter of the Civil Air Patrol is now on-line at: http://capmembers.com/media/cms/Safety_Beacon__December_2011_D97A410F55668.pdf From CAP eServices News: Funds for cadet orientation flights, new cadet kits, and cadet uniforms have been turned back on. Backlogged AE modules are being shipped, new cadet kits are being shipped starting with the backlog, and limited numbers of cadet uniforms are being shipped. Any remaining cadet uniform orders will be held until further funds are released Civil Air Patrol Restored to IRS Nonprofit List: CAPs mistaken removal from the Internal Revenue Services list of nonprofit organizations has been corrected. CAP was mistakenly removed from the list while working to consolidate the Tax Identification Number for each squadron into a single organization-wide number. In April the IRS confirmed the merge had been carried out, however, along with the squadrons former TINs, NHQs own TIN disappeared as well. In December, CAP was relisted in Additions to Publication 78, the IRS list of nonprofit organizations, but too late to be included in the latest electronic version of the roster of qualified nonprofits. CAP will reappear in IRS Publication 78 next quarter Applications are open for National Cadet Special Activities (NCSA). If youve been to an encampment, youre eligible to apply. There is an activity on almost any subject/career field that a cadet may be interested in. Your Deputy Commander for Cadets for a list with a brief outline of each activity. Applications are submitted via eServices and are due before January 15, 2012. Instructions at: http://www.ncsas.com/instructions.cfm Its the season for awards! Deadlines are in CAPR 39-3 & CAPR 280-2. Generally, recommendations for awards need to get to Wing NLT 15 January 2012. Wing has to have them to Region by 15 February and Region to NHQ by 15 March. Some awards, such as Cadet of the Year, should be sent to Wing by 1 January. Use a CAPF 58 or CAPF 120 to submit your nominations for the following awards: Cadet of the Year, Air Force Association Award, DDR Member of the Year, and Sorenson Cadet Programs Officer of the Year. Additional award information is listed below. Cadet of the Year - recognizes an outstanding cadet who has earned an Earhart award or higher and is a high school junior or older - one nominee from each cadet unit is submitted on CAPF 58 to wing selection committee by 15 January - one winner selected at each level: wing, region, and national - details in CAPR 39-3

Air Force Association Award - one cadet (at any achievement level) per unit per year is chosen to recognize superior performance - unit commander requests nomination package from local AFA chapter and submits in December - January - award consists of silver medal, sky blue ribbon, and certificate - see www.afa.org/aef/medals.asp for more details DDR Member of the Year Award (National level award) - recognizes cadet/senior who contributed to the success of CAPs DDR program at wing/region/national level - any CAP member may nominate another member (does not have to be a DDR officer) through chain to NHQ - Submit on CAPF 120 by 15 January to wing - Presented at summer National Board & Annual Conference John V. Jack Sorenson Cadet Programs Officer of the Year Award - annual award at wing, region, and national levels - any CAP member may nominate any Cadet Programs Officer to the wing by 15 January - details in CAPR 52-16 Quality Cadet Unit Award - objective award for cadet units based on data entered into eServices - winners chosen automatically and announced each January - 8 criteria: Cadet Achievement, Orientation Flights, Encampment, Growth, Retention, Enrollment, Aerospace, and Adult Leadership - see details at capmembers.com Frank G. Brewer, Sr. CAP Memorial Aerospace Award - recognizes cadets for outstanding contributions to the development of youth in aerospace activities - submit nomination form (found in CAPP 15) to wing selection committee by 15 January - one winner selected at each level: wing, region, and national - details in CAPP 15 Air Force Association AE Cadet of the Year Award - recognizes one cadet in the nation for outstanding contributions to aerospace education - Wing Director of AE submits nomination to wing HQ by 15 January - award presented at AFA conference each September - details in CAPP 15 Unit Commanders, Cadet Programs Officers and individual members are responsible for nominations. Special awards are a great way to reward and motivate your unit. See capmembers.com/specialcadetawards for details. The Air Force Association provides $250 Aerospace Education grants to conduct projects that promote science, technology, engineering, and math subjects and careers and are awarded in alternating cycles to CAP units and teacher members. Go to the grant link (for units or for teachers) at the AFA partnership page CAP Teams impressive in Air Force Association CyberPatriot Program: Round 2 of AFAs CyberPatriot high school competition was completed in early December. Of the 38 remaining Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine JROTC and CAP cadet teams, CAP has 13 teams moving to Round 3 which will be conducted online 13-14 January. The CAPs teams high scores earned them all 7 extra slots for Round 3, the last opportunity for teams to qualify for the final national cyber security competition to be held 22-23 March in National Harbor, MD. CAP would be proud to earn the 2nd National All Services CyberPatriot Championship title after CAPs Team Wilson from Orlando became the 2011 champions. More information found at www.uscyberpatriot.org

 Look for some changes in CAP drivers license procedures. A new automated application process will soon be available in eServices Ops Quals. Changes to CAPR 77-1 will soon be posted to explain the process The January-March 2012 issue of the Civil Air Patrol Volunteer eMagazine is now available on-line at: http://www.capvolunteernow.com/cap_volunteer/ The January-March 2012 issue of the Civil Air Patrol Open cockpit eNewsletter is now available online at: http://www.capmembers.com/media/cms/JANMAR_2012_Open_Cockpit_B0E11F8C4E9C7.pdf CAPs Annual Conference/Summer National Board will be in Baltimore, Maryland, Aug 22-25 2012

CAPs 2012 Legislative Day will be held Thursday, March 1, just prior to the Winter Board meeting in Washington, DC. This years agenda again includes gaining cosponsors for the Congressional Gold Medal and restoration of critical appropriations cut from the proposed CAP FY13 budget FY 2012 Budget Restoration: Congress passed and the President signed an omnibus appropriations bill on December 23, 2011, that included the FY12 Defense Appropriations Bill. This bill restored $4.5 million to CAPs operations and maintenance account and $6.8 million to its aircraft procurement that were earlier cut from CAPs budget submission CAP has established a safety education partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration that will provide our members with automatic education credits for completing safety education within the FAA WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program. The WINGS program available to all aviation enthusiasts at www.faasafety.gov helps aviators and aviation enthusiasts construct an educational curriculum suitable for their individual flight requirements. Increased awareness through education complements CAPs safety management system Communications: The latest revision of CAPR 100-1 is currently in the staff coordination process and will be published soon. The revision will better address changes in technology and CAPs missions. The I-Cut training program is in Beta testing and should be available in the first quarter of 2012. Registration for the 2012 National Emergency Services Academy (NESA), 21 July through 4 August, at Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh, IN is now available at www.nesa.cap.gov. Discount rates for early registration are available until 29 January 2012 WMIRS: Several changes are currently being tested for WMIRS that NHQ expects will be fielded in the first quarter of 2012. Some of the changes may require some limited down time to fully implement. Any system outage will be posted in eServices, through the RSS feed, and in WMIRS with as much prior notice as possible CAPs Aerospace Education (AE) Program is the 2011 recipient of two prestigious national Aerospace Education Leadership Awards presented by the National Coalition of Aviation Education. NCAE, a coalition of over 60 government, industry, and labor members, promote aviation education activities and resources; increase public understanding of aviation; and support educational initiatives at the local, state, and national level. CAP National Commander, Maj Gen Charles Carr, accepted the National Mervin K. Strickler Award at the National Aeronautic Association annual Awards Dinner in November. The National Crown Circle Award was accepted by Lt Col Mike McArdle, National AE Officer, at the summer Experimental Aircraft Associations AirVenture event. Both awards presented to the same organization in the same year is a rare occurrence, but demonstrates the level of quality of the products and programs developed and implemented by CAP Aerospace Education NHQ eNews: Help CAP save money and resources by opting out of receiving a printed copy of the Civil Air Patrol Volunteer magazine. To manage how you wish to receive the Volunteer, log in to your eServices account at www.capnhq.gov. Under My Info select Review/Edit My Information. Select the box titled Opt out of

receiving the CAP Volunteer magazine and you are done. If you change your mind in the future and want to receive the printed copy, you can simply return to the webpage and deselect the option. A digital version of the magazine is available online www.capvolunteernow.com/cap_volunteer NHQ eNews: Department of Defense policy prevents the transfer, donation, and sale of the Airmans Battle Uniform (ABU) camouflage pattern uniforms to anyone outside USAF with very few exceptions. Unfortunately CAP is not one of the exceptions. This prohibition is necessary to protect technologies used in the uniform. The National Board placed a hold on all uniform changes pending review of the entire CAP uniform structure. The CAP National Uniform Committee will submit a draft report to the Summer National Board in August 2012 NHQ eNews: Ask the Commander is eServices newest application. This all-new module has been initiated at the request of Major General Carr to increase the flow of information to the field and to offer the membership better access to the National Commander. All questions submitted will be forwarded along with your Name and CAPID and responses will be returned via e-mail to the e-mail address you have listed in the CAP Membership system. Your squadron, wing and region commander will also receive a copy of your question and the response to ensure they have the latest information as well. Some questions submitted will also be pushed over to KnowledgeBase to provide yet another method for information distribution. Before you submit your question you should first give your commander an opportunity to answer. CAP commanders are often able to get you a response faster and with more detail than we will be able to provide here. They may also be able to put you in touch with your units expert who can provide an even better answer. Please keep your questions professional and pertinent to others. This system is not a substitute for the IG system and does not afford any confidentiality whatsoever. Breeches of etiquette or discipline are inappropriate and will be addressed

STAFF NOTES
ASK THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
Lt Col Karen Semple, CAP, MTWG/IG Q: Why do you want so many inspectors and how do they get appointed? A: CAPR 123-3, states, Responsibilities. 2 b. Members. CAP members involved in the CAP programs are responsible for understanding and complying with CAP directives and ensuring all programs are performed in a safe manner. Safety and security is everyones direct responsibility. And, para 12c: Inspectors General and assessment team members. It is the responsibility of e, The region/wing inspector general, in coordination with his/her commander, must appoint a sufficient number of inspection team members to conduct the required SUI program inspections. They may use personnel from throughout the wing to assist in the manning of the SUI teams. (1) At no time will an SUI be performed with fewer than two highly qualified inspectors, although three team members are desirable. (2) For inspections of units with a flying program, the team must be comprised of at least one qualified mission pilot. The mission pilot on the team should be well versed in aircraft operations and maintenance, flying safety, and CAP flying directives. (3) For inspections of units with a counterdrug flying program, the team must be comprised of at least one counterdrug qualified mission pilot. 31 December 2011

With the regulatory guidance in mind, here the requirements to become a highly qualified inspector in Montana Wing: 1. Must be an active member in good standing with Civil Air Patrol. That means they must pay their dues, and must keep current on monthly safety training with no formal complaints registered against them. 2. Must have a reputation for integrity. This is achieved by following regulatory guidelines, i.e., meeting deadlines, keeping your word, and being truthful in all your dealings with others. In essence, always doing the right thing even when no one is looking. 3. Must have at least a senior rating in a specialty track (or be a subject matter expert such as a mission pilot) with experience doing the job and possess a reputation for excellence in the accomplishment of their everyday CAP duties. 4. Must be a team player. Inspectors are part of a team working together to do a necessary task. The ability to work well with others is critical to the success of the inspection program. 5. Must be willing to complete necessary inspector training. This is accomplished online through the National IG Program or in person with the Region or Wing IG. Inspector training takes about 8 hours online or the better part of a day in the classroom. There is also pre-inspection hands-on training needed to prepare inspectors to go out and inspect before each inspection cycle begins. 6. Must be willing to travel to conduct inspections not to all unit inspections, but some. The more inspectors we have in Montana Wing, the fewer trips each inspector needs to make. 7. If time is available, must be willing to teach during the interview as they inspect when members fall short, to kindly help members to understand the checklist requirements and how they need to be met. As to how inspectors are appointed: After a personal briefing with the IG, where questions about inspector responsibilities, availability and any others items pertaining to the SUI Program may be addressed, the member, upon completion of required inspector training, will be entered on a CAPF 2a prepared by the IG for the Wing Commanders signature to assign highly qualified individuals as inspectors. If the qualifications spelled out above describe you, and youre interested in expanding your CAP service to this important area, please apply to be an inspector! Montana Wing needs trained inspectors to properly carry out the Subordinate Unit Inspection Program! Please help us to serve MTWG squadrons with professional inspections. If youre interested in helping with the SUI program by joining the inspection team, or simply want more information, please send me an email expressing your interest to: IG@mtwg-cap.us and well proceed from there. I look forward to hearing from many highly qualified Montana Wing members soon!

WING MEDICAL OFFICERS NEWSLETTER

Dr. Sharon Nichols, Maj, CAP, MTWG/HS Tips for a Healthier 2012 5 January 2012

With the New Year comes a renewed interest in returning to a healthier lifestyle. Many of our resolutions involve making healthier choices in our lives. But, how do we do that? The task seems daunting but when simplified into smaller tasks are ultimately achievable. First, it is important to recognize the adverse effect obesity has on health. Obesity places us at risk for coronary artery disease, hypertension, stroke and diabetes. Obesity costs our country over $110 billion dollars each year.

How do we battle obesity? It is best to avoid fad diets and just change to a balanced diet. Eating a diet higher in fiber will make you feel full longer. Experts say our diet should contain about 25 grams of fiber per day. Burning fat is more efficient when a high fiber diet is consumed. How do you get 25 grams of fiber in your diet? Consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables will easily allow you to meet your fiber consumption goal. Avoiding carbohydrates and increasing protein consumption will lead to weight loss. Choosing lean meats such as chicken, fish and turkey will allow you to maintain lean muscle. Avoid adding extra fat when preparing meats. The ideal amount of protein in your daily diet is one gram of protein for every pound of body weight. As weve been told for years, breakfast is the most important meal. Dont skip it. Skipping breakfast makes you 4 times as likely to be obese. Drinking water is an important component in our metabolism - drink at least 6 cups of water per day. Enlist friends and family to help you achieve your goals. Its easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle if you surround yourself with healthy supportive people. Choose to be healthier in the New Year! Remember the ABCs of improving your metabolism: A- stay Active, exercise 45 minutes at least 4 days a week B- eat Breakfast C- 2 cups of Coffee or tea per day boosts metabolism D- make healthy Diet choices E- get Enough sleep, at least 7 to 8 hours per night F- eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables to get your Fiber G- Green Tea, antioxidants H- H2O, drink at least 6 cups of water per day I- Intake organic foods, pesticides decrease metabolism

WING SAFETY OFFICERS NEWSLETTER

Capt Steven Potratz, CAP, MTWG/HS 6 January 2012

If weather predictions come true this year we are heading for a very wet and cold January - March. Thus far we've had a very warm winter but all that is likely to change. This brings to mind the safety of travel specifically to weekly meetings on bad weather days. Commanders, Deputy Commanders, and Safety Officers are primarily responsible for deciding the safety of travel and whether or not to cancel a meeting. However, individuals also bear this responsibility as travel from a member's house often holds different safety concerns than the overall area may experience. No squadron meeting is ever more important than the safety of its members and Command staff should always feel comfortable cancelling a meeting if significant concerns exist. BUT - keep in mind that this is Montana and members (and their parents in the case of cadets) have a lot of experience both driving in poor conditions and dealing with very low temperatures. Use reasonable judgment; analyze the Operational Risk Management of the meeting, and then make a sound decision on cancelling or moving forward. Remember: better a thousand times careful than once dead. Reminder to all squadrons that Safety Down Day must occur during January. Safetyfest.mt.com has information about a great, free, safety conference. I'll be attending the spring conference in Billings and would love to see you all there. Registration is free and lodging is discounted to $77 per night. Check it out!

SQUADRON HIGHLIGHTS
BEARTOOTH COMPOSITE SQUADRON (MT-008, BILLINGS) (Items and photos submitted by Capt Bruce Kipp) On 15 December, Wing IG, Lt Col Karen Semple, visited the squadron meeting to present an overview to all members on the Inspector General Complaint Program. One specific area that she focused on was fraud, waste and abuse. Following the general presentation she spoke to the staff on preparing for the upcoming unit inspection and provided several how-to tips on preparing and maintaining assessment and continuity books Welcome to the newest cadets; Sean Mitchell, Robert Parker and Jacob Tabor. We are pleased to have you with us and look forward to your participation with the squadron Congratulations to Senior Members Joe Clark, Dana Lariviere and Kevin Lariviere who were promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant on 9 December 2011 Maj Susan Tracy earned the title Distinguished Expert for pistol marksmanship and the gold medal in the Winchester/ National Rifle Associations Marksmanship Qualification Program on 7 December. Shooting at Billings Three-Sights Indoor Shooting Range under the watchful eye of staff member and NRA Instructor Kyle Dean she scored 187 points out of a possible 200 points using a Ruger 22/45 MK III pistol. What makes her achievement more remarkable is she only began shooting in late September of this year. On her way to the gold medal she also earned several other NRA awards that she proudly wears on the sleeve of her shooting hoodie

BUTTE COMPOSITE SQUADRON (MT-031, BUTTE) (Items and photos submitted by Lt Col Bill Bowden) CADET OFFICER PROMOTIONS: Congratulations to Cadets Shaun Kelso and Joshua McCaffrey on their promotion to the rank of Cadet Second Lieutenant and receipt of the Mitchell Award CADET NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER PROMOTIONS: Congratulations to Cadet Alaina Mallard on her promotion to the rank of Cadet Chief Master Sergeant and receipt of the Armstrong Award

Congratulations to Cadets William Link and William Cheman on their promotion to the rank of Cadet Staff Sergeant and receipt of the Wright Brothers Award

CADET AIRMAN PROMOTIONS: Congratulations to Cadets Amanda Page and Travis Tenold on their promotion to the rank of Cadet Airman First Class and receipt of the Arnold Award FLATHEAD COMPOSITE SQUADRON (MT-053, KALISPELL) (Items submitted by Lt Col Chuck Statum, Maj Frank Fantino, SM Dale Rodwick, photo by SM Dale Rodwick) Congratulations to SM Dale Rodwick on his appointments as Squadron Public Affairs Officer/Public Information Officer and Retention and Recruiting Officer. Dale performed magnificently during Decembers Wreaths Across America blitz and will undoubtedly prove equally adept at recruiting and retention A formal Change of Command ceremony took place in Kalispell when Lt Col Chuck Statum passed the stewardship of the Flathead Composite Squadron to Maj Frank Fantino. This is the third CAP squadron that Maj Fantino has had the privilege to command. The new commander has over 53 years continuous service in CAP, having served in two other States as Wing Inspector General and in other Wing, Group and Squadron Staff assignments. Lt Col Statum, who continues to serve as Wing Director of Professional Development, has our deepest respect and our sincere thanks for his outstanding service to the Flathead Composite Squadron

Santa came early when a local radio-controlled model (RC) aircraft flying club held a Demonstration Night for the squadron and followed up with the donation of three RC helicopters, an RC plane kit, and RC control units with chargers. Cadet Airman 1st Class Gabriel Knutsen was awarded the assignment to build the RC plane in appreciation of his achievement in selling over $1,000.00 in wreaths for the squadrons Wreaths Across America program
The month of December brought a close to 2011 with highs and lows for the squadron. We are very proud that the squadron sold and placed close to 600 wreaths on Veterans graves in a local ceremony. We were deeply saddened when within days thieves stole over 100 of those wreaths. The crime sparked widespread outrage and received substantial local and national coverage in the media. We were deeply gratified when the public and the Worcester Wreath Company made up for the missing wreaths by donating replacement wreaths. These wreaths were rededicated at a second ceremony attended by Wing command staff, local media and the public MISSOULA COMPOSITE SQUADRON (MT-018, MISSOULA) (Items submitted by Lt Col Kaye Ebelt, Big Sky Density Flyers photo by Kathy Armstrong, MPA Scholarship text and photo courtesy of the Montana Pilots Association) A team of five teachers from western Montana has been selected to participate in National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 2012 Teaching from Space - MicroGravity eXperience. The team, named the Big Sky Density Flyers, is led by Montana Wing Director of Aerospace Education, Lt Col Kaye Ebelt. The team of science teachers consists of Ebelts fellow 5th Grade science teacher at the Target Range School, Jann Clouse, and three teacher colleagues from the Anna Jeffries School in Cut Bank, MT: Joyce Lewis, Carol Morgan and Sandy Murphy.

Ebelts 5th Grade science students have been studying the properties of liquids with different densities. The students designed the physics experiment that the Big Sky Density Flyers will test in a near zero gravity, also called a microgravity environment. Our experiment is called Liquid Layers in MicroG. We are going to use seven different liquids each with a different density to create a density column. We want to know what will happen to the liquids in microgravity and if the liquids will settle into layers in hyper gravity, Ebelt explained. The Big Sky Flyers Team, one of only seven teams nationwide selected for the elite program, will travel to NASAs Space Center in Houston where, from 5-11 February 2012, they will make two flights over the Gulf of Mexico. Each flight aboard NASAs Reduced Gravity Platform, a modified Boeing-727, will consist of 30 reduced gravity parabolas. During the brief periods of zero gravity the teachers will conduct their liquid density physics experiments. "It's also an honor for our students, our community that we get to represent our state in this way and maybe come up with some experiments that NASA could use in the future," Ebelt said. Through this opportunity, it may spark or ignite the interest in one of our students to pursue a career in aerospace engineering or, who knows, they may end up going to Mars." Ebelts own passion for science, aeronautics and outer space was launched when she won a contest hosted by a local television station that sent her to space camp. Students at the Target Range School in Missoula and the Anna Jeffries Elementary School in Cut Bank will have many opportunities to work together. The experiments on board the aircraft will be videotaped for the students to view and video-conference sessions are planned where the teachers will be able to share post-flight data analysis during the flight week with the students. The Big Sky Density Flyers trip to NASAs Houston Space Center is sponsored by the Target Range Foundation, the Big Sky Science Partnership, the Montana Space Grant Consortium and by NASA. Watch the YouTube video to see what Lt Col Ebelts team will do in Houston: http://youtu.be/pFTAbVaVjlM

The Big Sky Density Flyers Team (L-R): Kaye Ebelt- Sandy Murphy- Jann Clouse- Joyce Lewis- Carol Morgan

Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas McKinney was awarded the Montana Pilots' Associations Junior Pilot Scholarship for 2011. The MPA offers scholarships to Montanans to help them defray the costs of aviation education. The scholarships are presented during the MPAs Annual General Membership Meeting at the Montana Aviation Conference. Cadet McKinney was selected based on his outstanding interest in aviation, citizenship within the community, his demonstrated academic achievement, and that he has soloed and is actively involved in flight training. In the photo, Jim Younkin, President of the Five Valleys Hangar, presents the Junior Pilot Scholarship to C/Lt Col McKinney. This information was published in the November/December 2011 issue of the MPA newsletter the Heading Bug and is used with their kind permission LEWIS & CLARK COMPOSITE SQUADRON (Items and photos submitted by Lt Col Karen Semple) Aerospace education was the theme for the squadron during the month of December. Classes focused on the fundamental aerodynamic principals of flight, the nomenclature for the various parts of a powered aircraft, and designing, building and testing the flight characteristics of various configurations of paper airplanes. After completing their planes, the cadets proceeded to the drill floor where, with directions for specific modification from Lieutenant Painter, they participated in a variety of flight contests

Photo-1

Photo-2

Photo 1: 2nd Lt Greg Painter, Squadron Aerospace Education Officer, teaches aircraft "anatomy" to cadets during a December meeting. Photo 2: Cadet Allison Hartman works on folding her paper airplane during Aerospace Education in December.

DATE January January January February February February March April May June

14 14-15 20-21 10-11 24-26 25-26 09-10 13-15 07-13 08-09

MONTANA WING 2012 PLANNING CALENDAR ACTIVITY Wing Leadership Conference (RTI Building, Ft. Harrison) Wyoming Wing Teaching Leaders of Cadets Course & NCO Academy SAREX Great Falls SAREX Helena (TTX or PCT) Regional Cadet Leadership School at Ft. Harrison Training Leaders of Cadets Course in Bozeman SAREX Laurel SAREX Bozeman (Practice for Guided SARX at Three Forks Airport) SAREX Bozeman (Guided SARX at Three Forks Airport) SAREX Lewistown

July 06-07 August 03-04 August 10-11 August 10-19 September 07-08

SAREX Laurel SAREX Butte Wing Conference at Ft. Harrison Joint Summer Encampment at Ft. Harrison SAREX Kalispell

Send me your input for the January - February 2012 Wing eNewsletter.