The Official Newsletter of Minnesota Wing – February 2003

Viking Squadron Gets New Chief

1st Lt. Al Matson assumed command of
Viking Composite Squadron at a change of
command ceremony in Eden Prairie, Minn.,
Feb. 18.
Matson replaced Maj. Shannon Bauer, who
served in this position since October 1999.
A member of Viking Squadron and Civil Air
Patrol since September 2000, Matson has
previously held the unit positions of deputy
commander for seniors, executive officer
and aerospace education officer for cadets.
Matson's emergency services qualifications
include mission pilot, observer, scanner,
information officer, ground team leader and
ground team member. In June 2001, he was
selected as the Viking Squadron
Senior Member of the Year, and in May
2002, he was selected as the Minnesota
Wing Aerospace Education
Officer of the Year.
(PHOTO: Lt. Matson is holding the Viking Squadron
mascot Hargar the Horrible.)

In this Issue:
• Flight Academy Selectees
• Encampment News
• 2002 Training Wrap-up
• Cadet Encampment News
• 2003 Volleyball Competition

Minnesota Wing, CAP WingTips February 2003 Page 1

BLACK CAP 19 is Coming Soon! The following Cadets have selected to the 2003
Flight Academy:
The 2003 Black Cap #19 Emergency Service
College is being held Friday, April 11-Sunday, POWERED
April 13 at the Red Wing facility.
130th Brett Johnson
The registration fee is $10 and the fee will be Anoka County John Lavalle
waived to seniors providing transportation to 4 or Anoka County Theodore Persing
more members. Crow Wing Lanessa Bastian
Crow Wing Jacob Heffron
Due to training & Scheduling requirements and Crow Wing Craig Nguyen
to speed up the flight selection process, we are Crow Wing Dustin Prchal
requesting that members register in advance for Fort Snelling James McCarthy
this year’s activity. The registration fee and North Star Cadet Joseph Anderson
Cadets parental permission slip can be hand- North Star Cadet Quinn Anderson
carried to the activity. North Star Cadet Jeremy Franzwa
Northland Jeremiah Erickson
To register, please send your name, rank, St. Crouix Janna Fosterling
Squadron name, CAPID and number of black Valley Cadet Patricia Friese
caps attended to: Major Vicki Eckhoff at Valley Cadet Maureen Hickey
v.eckhoff@mnwg.cap.gov no later than Friday, Valley Cadet Jacob Moen
March 28. Valley Cadet Bart Werness
Viking Ben Cahn
We are also accepting applications for Flight Viking Greg Matson
staff and Cadet Commander at this time. Please Viking Brian Rutt
submit your "CREATIVE black cap resume" to
Alternates
Major Vicki Eckhoff at PO BOX 94, Red Wing,
Owatonna Tyler Beckman
MN 55066 no later than Friday March 21, 2003.
Southeast MN Joshua White
Viking Brett Stadsklev
Flight Academy News
Capt Mike Hartell
GLIDER
I would like to thank all the Cadets that
participated in the 2003 Flight Academy Nebraska Wing Deborah Hanus
Selection Board on Saturday (2-22). I know that 130th Thomas Lawrence
this was a stressful event for many, and it was a Anoka County Dan Cook
great learning experience for all that Anoka County Jeremiah Johnson
participated. Anoka County Adam Lucey
Fort Snelling Ryan Grosland
You all did a very nice job and regardless of who Hutchinson Jordan Meehl
is selected you are all winners for giving it your North Hennepin Patrick Vinge
best. Owatonna Angela Isker
Southeast Minnesota Alexander Manthei
I would also like to announce that C/1st Lt Valley Cadet Alex Friese
Kathryn Kenning will serve as the Cadet Valley Cadet James Hickey
Commander and C/Capt Kendra Sand will serve Valley Cadet Ben Piehl
as the Deputy Cadet Commander for this year’s
Flight Academy. Alternates
130th Jennifer Willhite
Both have great resumes and are well qualified North Star Cadet Ronny Ziesmer
to perform these duties. I know that the
Academy Senior Staff and I are very excited to
have these two talented Cadets on board to help
us out.

Minnesota Wing, CAP WingTips February 2003 Page 2

2003 Training Review
Col Kevin Sliwinski
2002 was a good year for training in the
Minnesota Wing. The following are the
statistics:
Aerospace Education
40 Yeager awards were completed and
processed. (A few more still have not been
sent in by units, so we won't get credit for
them from National HQ.) This is close to the
record in 1995, if not surpassing it.
Congratulations to North Hennepin for
completing 19 Yeager awards, St. Cloud
Senior for completing 8 and North Star for
completing 7. To get a Yeager Award
Certificate and credit on your National HQ
record your testing officer must send a CAPF
126 and the completed test (whole) to
Minnesota Wing.
Two Senior Members completed their
Aerospace Master Rating, one compiled his
Senior Rating, and four completed their
Technician Rating.
We had 12 external aerospace education
events with schools, 50 external aerospace
education events with outside organizations
(However, the lions share of these were by
Wing Headquarters) and 129 unit activities
reported in the end of year reports.
Last year 7 units completed the AEX program.
This year 13 units signed up for it. Let's get
100% completion.
Cadet Programs
We had four cadets eligible and one cadet
complete the Spaatz Award; however, it was a
cadet that completed his Eaker this year, so
we still have four cadets eligible.
Congratulations C/Col. Jack Houck for
meeting our goal.
We had 16 cadets eligible for their Eaker
Award and six completed it for a whopping
37.7%.
Minnesota Wing, CAP WingTips February 2003
We had 45 cadets eligible for their Earhart
Award, however, only 12 completed it for a
26.7% completion rate.
We had 385 cadets eligible to complete their
Mitchell Award (joined before October 2001),
only 27 completed it for a 7% completion rate,
which was disappointing.
80 first time cadets attended the Wing
Encampment at Grand Forks, however, only
76 are still members.
Senior Programs
68 Senior Members completed their Squadron
Leadership School at the four courses held.
12 Senior Members completed their Corporate
Learning Course.
4% of our members have completed their
Wilson Award, 10% their Garber Award, 18%
their Loening Award.
Only 41% of our eligible Senior Members
completed their Level 1 in 2002 (this is sad).
3% completed level 2 (sadder). 21.7%
completed their Level 3 (Great). 11.5%
completed Level 4 and only 2.6% (one
member) completed a level 5. We CAN do
better in 2003!
Overall, it was a good year. However, the only
NCR senior member goals that we exceeded
were the Yeager Award goals and only barely
exceeded those.
Only 65% of our members are in a specialty
track. Let's assign our new members specialty
tracks.
They do not have to be Technicans, Seniors,
of Masters to accomplish this, JUST ENROLL
THEM IN THE TRACK WITH NO LEVEL.
There should be no reason why someone that
has completed their Level 1 has not got a
specialty track.
Page 3
Encampment News Around the Wing:
Major Doug Kilian 03 Volleyball Competition @ St Cloud
Encampment Website:
The 2003 Summer Encampment website is now up
and running. Take a look at
http://www.mnwg.cap.gov/cp/5ctg/ for more info!

Call for Senior Staff:

Looking to invest some time into developing the
youth of our nation? Interested in seeing the CAP
cadet program in action?

Then the summer encampment is just what you're

looking for!

Any senior member who has completed CPPT and

Level I is invited to apply for senior staff.

Details on how to apply are listed at:

http://www.mnwg.cap.gov/cp/5ctg/senior_staff_page.
htm

Transportation Information:
The 2003 Summer Encampment will be held at the
Volk Field Air National Guard Base in Camp Douglas,
WI, which is located less then three hours from the
twin cities.

Cadets in Group II, III and IV will be responsible for

their own transportation to and from encampment.
Cadets in Group I will have a CAP van available as in
previous years. Arrival and pick up times will be
announced at a later date.

C/Capt Sobolewski has chosen the Cadet Executive

staff for the 5th CTG. They are:

Executive Staff
Deputy Group Commander:
C/Maj Josh Gulbranson

Group Executive Officer:

C/Capt Dave Burgio

Commander, 9th Cadet Training Squadron

C/Capt Kevin Kroll

Commander, 10th Cadet Training Squadron C/Maj

Mike Nordin

Wingtips
Minnesota Wing—Civil Air Patrol-US Air Force Auxiliary
P.O. Box 1230, St. Paul, MN 55111
Or on the Web at: www.mnwg.cap.gov/wingtips
Wingtips is published monthly and distributed to each household of Minnesota members.
Deadline for submissions: 1st Monday oft he Month. The views expressed either written
or implied are not necessarily those of the U.S. Air Force or Civil Air Patrol.
Wing Commander: Col. Dale Hoium Wing PAO: 1st Lt Al Pabon

Minnesota Wing, CAP WingTips February 2003 Page 4