WingTips
The official publication of Minnesota Wing Civil Air Patrol
Worthington Squadron members find downed Cirrus SR-22
Capt. Joe Bradfield,
Worthington Squadron
Worthington Composite
Squadron's Maj. Carl
Hallum, Maj. Rolf Carlson,
Capt. Mark McCormick
and Capt. Joe Bradfield
were called upon by mis-
sion coordinator Maj. Rick
Wenzel to find an emer-
gency locator transmitter, or
ELT, Dec. 11.
The search led the team to
a downed aircraft in a bean
field near Arco, Minn.,
located southwest of
Marshall, Minn. There were
three fatalities at the crash,
including the pilot and both
passengers.
Hallum served as the
ground team leader, driver
and first aid responder.
Carlson took the duties of
navigation, log keeping and
communications. Bradfield
monitored the ELT, checked
for survivors, was responsi-
ble for photographing the
site and explained site man-
agement priorities to the
arriving responders.
Arriving shortly after dis-
covery, McCormick per-
formed a site safety assess-
ment and made photoraphic
evidence for the various
investigating agencies.
Maj. Carl Hallum and Maj. Rolf Carlson, both
Worthington Squadron, monitor the crash site after
they found a downed Cirrus SR-22 Dec. 11. Photo by
Capt. Joe Bradfield
After completing the initial
urgent tasks, all four
worked to communicate
and coordinate with the var-
ious agencies present.
McCormick cautioned that
since this aircraft, a Cirrus
SR-22, contains a potential-
ly dangerous rocket-like
deploying system for its
parachute and that since its
ELT is uniquely accessed
via a fuselage panel, silenc-
ing of the ELT had to wait
until Carlson had contacted
Maj. Jeff Knutson, a CAP
member employed by
Cirrus in Duluth, Minn.
Knutson provided the team
detailed explanations for
December 2005
safely completing this part
of the mission. Bradfield
and Hallum opened the
panel, disconnected the
ELT, turned it off and then
left the parts neatly next to
the plane for FAA, NTSB
and Cirrus investigators,
who would arrive later.
When Bradfield briefed the
Lincoln County Sheriff on
activity at the site since the
ground team's discovery, up
to the point of briefing, as
is to be done whenever a
CAP team relinquishes a
site to another team or
agency, the sheriff asked
Bradfield to remain to talk
to the FAA.
Hence, the Worthington
ground team remained until
noon, when the final brief-
ing occurred as Bradfield
and the Cirrus and FAA
investigators walked the
site together.
While keeping the site
secure, the team and other
agencies were tended to by
the emergency management
officer of Lincoln County,
who brought coffee, food, a
portable bathroom and took
care of anything the crew
needed.
Bradfield had taken a full
complement of photos, both
upon discovery, prior to the
multiple footprints of the
other rescue teams and,
then again, after dawn,
when the light made photos
clear.
Since multiple agencies
wanted the photos, a deputy
volunteered a card reader
and blank recordable CDs.
CDs were then passed out
to the sheriff and to the
FAA investigation team
after they presented their
credentials to the ground
team and law enforcement
officers present.
Pipestone Squadron sent a
Mission / Page 4
Page 2
Commander’s Column:
Looking back at 2005 and
looking ahead at 2006
by Col. Steve Miller,
wing commander
A lot has happened this
year. We added a new air-
craft to our Wing assets, the
Cessna 182 glass cockpit.
We expect to receive the
Gippsland GA-8 in January
2006. While our hours on
the aircraft were down from
last year, we were able to
get 200 or more hours on
all of them. Great job!
While our actual mission
count is lower than last
year, our training activities
continued to prepare us for
those actual missions. As
many of you may know, the
Worthington Squadron was
recently involved in an ELT
search. The end result was
they found a crashed air-
craft. There were no sur-
vivors. A poignant com-
ment from one of the
ground team members was
that "he felt qualified to do
the job." All of the training
paid off.
As I have stated previously,
we train so we will be
ready for any mission given
to us. And the missions will
come, so take advantage of
all the training offered to
you. The emergency servic-
es training schedule has
been formulated and pub-
lished. Plan to maximize
your participation in this
WingTips
Col. Steve Miller
training. It will pay off
when we are called to
action.
Our maintenance facility is
in the final phase of com-
pletion. There are a few
glitches in the heating sys-
tem, but they are on track
to be fixed.
Thanks to all of you for
your support of Minnesota
Wing. Your efforts and
unselfish participation are
what make the Minnesota
Wing the best in the coun-
try. I am honored to be a
part of this great
organization.
It has been a great year. I
wish all of you a Merry
Christmas and Happy
Holidays. Enjoy the season.
Spend time with your fami-
ly. And, most importantly,
be safe.
-Semper Vigilans
December 2005
Planning to leave a legacy
by 1st Lt. Scott D. Johnson,
St. Paul Squadron
We normally use a special
life insurance policy that
In my other life, the one pays the death benefit upon
away from the Civil Air the second death in charita-
Patrol, I work as a financial ble cases because it carries
a lower premium than a
planner helping people to
accumulate money for their single life policy does. This
future. What most people enables our older (or
do not know is that we also younger) donors to con-
help people to give it away tribute greater amounts than
when they reach the point they otherwise could afford
in their lives where they Thus an annual contribution
have enough money to buy of $1,200 from a healthy 60
both groceries and Av-Gas. year old married couple can
turn into a $100,000 dona-
As a nonprofit organization, tion upon the death of the
any donation you make to second spouse. A 50-year
CAP is a charitable income old couple is about $800.
tax deduction. Many people
already give an annual cash Unique to this type of poli-
donation to their local cy, since we are insuring
squadron. A method we two lives, is that only one
commonly use with church- of them needs to be healthy
es, charities or colleges in to issue the policy. The sec-
increasing their endowment ond spouse could even have
funds is to take that annual a terminal illness and still
cash donation and to pur- qualify.
chase life insurance on the An 80-year old couple, with
life of the donor, with the one spouse healthy and the
charity being the benefici-
ary upon death. Legacy / Page 3
WingTips is a publication of
Minnesota Wing Civil Air Patrol,
U.S. Air Force Auxiliary
6275 Crossman Lane
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076
www.mncap.org
wingtips@mncap.org
The views expressed, either written or implied, are not neces-
sarily those of the U.S. Air Force, the Civil Air Patrol or
Minnesota Wing. Submissions should be sent to the above
email address.
Wing Commander: Col. Steve Miller
Wingtips Editor: Maj. Shannon Bauer
Page 3 WingTips December 2005

Fifteen graduate from CLC

Minnesota Wing pilots participate in an instrument
ground school at North Hennepin Squadron in
Crystal, Minn., earlier this month. Photo by Lt. Col.
Dick Johnson
Wing members participate in
instrument ground school
Lt. Col. Dick Johnson,
North Hennepin Squadron
North Hennepin Squadron
hosted an instrument
ground school course
Dec. 3-4 and 10-11 at its
headquarters in Crystal,
Minn. Lt. Col. Rich Vosika
taught the course. Vosika is
the wing’s external aero-
space education officer and
a former North Hennepin
unit member.
Twenty-seven pilots from
various units participated
for the first session Dec. 3.
Those attending ranged
from those aspiring to
obtain their instrument rat-
ing to those that already
have it to instructors want-
ing to brush up on their
knowledge.
The first phase of the
course was spent on instru-
ments, the second on
approach plates, the third
phase on IFR charts and
weather, followed by the
last day of more weather
and flight planning. At the
end of the three day course,
attendees received a written
endorsement by Vosika to
present to the FAA that
they had received instruc-
tion towards their instru-
ment rating.
Capt. Paulette Odette, Grand Rapids Squadron
Minnesota Wing Group One sponsored a Corporate
Learning Course in Grand Rapids, Minn., Dec. 3-4.
CAP requires this two-day training be completed to be
awarded senior member Level Three. It is intended to pro-
vide seniors with a broader understanding of CAP at the
wing, region and national levels.
The CLC graduates included: Capts. Rich Yeager, Mark
Shorter, Jim Harris and 1st Lt. Dianne Harris, Cass County
Squadron; Capt. Dan Wilcox and 1st Lt. Terrance Best,
Northland Squadron; Captain Hal Waale and 1st Lt. Earl
Gibson, Northwest Minnesota Squadron; Capts. Beth
Pfingsten and Mary Johnson, Crow Wing Squadron; Capt.
Jim Miller, 2nd Lts. Penny Hadrava, Tom Flemming and
Tyrel Shue, Grand Rapids Squadron; and 2nd Lt. Mark
Johnston, Duluth Squadron.
Instructed included: Col. Steve Miller, Lt. Cols. Don
Mikitta and John Quilling, Bill Willis, Minnesota Wing;
and Maj. Dave Odette, Group One. Odette served as the
director, Capt. Paulette Odette as assistant director and
Capt. Jim Miller as logistics officer.
Capts. Jim Miller, Jim Harris, Mark Shorter and Hal
Waale and 2nd Lt. Mark Johnston during the Group
One sponsored Corporate Learning Course. Photo by
Capt. Paulette Odette

Legacy / from Page 2
other not, could gift a $100,000 benefit to their squadron
for about $4,500 per year in premiums.
Another method our older clients use is the gifting of an
unneeded existing life insurance policy, annuity or real
estate holding or highly appreciated stock to the charita-
ble organization. Doing so provides you with a larger tax
deduction than the original basis. There are many meth-
ods available to turn small donations into large ones and
to reduce your income and estate tax bite at the same
time.
Many people contribute to charities via payroll deduction
plans at work such as the United Way. Many employers
will also match these contributions. If you are currently
participating in one of these plans or would like to start,
please ask your employer to add the Civil Air Patrol to
their list of approved charities. You may even get lucky
and have a co-worker select your squadron for his/her
donation.
December 2005 WingTips Page 4

Mission / from Page 1

Senior member and
cadet officer promotions 182 over the site after clouds parted and bright light
shown upon the field to take aerial photos. These photos
Captain have also been requested by the FAA.
Jayne Collins, Viking; Catherine Cooksy, Viking;
The ground team returned to Worthington for refueling,
David Hobson, North Hennepin
refitting and paperwork at 3:30 p.m. the following day.
1st Lt.
Especially noteworthy is the first use of our qualified and
Luke Frederick, Mankato; Gordon Miller, Saint Paul;
experienced Critical Incident Stress Management
David Yost, St. Croix
debriefer, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) James Sickmeyer, wing
2nd Lt. chaplain.
Jennifer Davis, Southeast Minnesota; Curtis Franks,
Sickmeyer tended to Bradfield after his completion of vic-
North Hennepin; Matthew Shadrick, Northland
tim assessment and ELT shutoff. It was Bradfield's first
C/Capt. time in such circumstances, so McCormick, who is famil-
Jeremiah Johnson, Anoka iar with trauma-related stress, anticipated the need for
C/2nd Lt. such services, handing Bradfield his cell phone, with
Mitchell Arnet, North Hennepin Sickmeyer already connected and waiting.
The next evening, Sickmeyer debriefed team members
Bradfield, Hallum and McCormick in person after
Momentous occasion ...
Monday's meeting. Given the type of situation, CISM will
C/Chief Master Sgt. Mitch Arnet became the cadet now continue, on an individual, as-needed basis, as is con-
commander of North Hennepin Squadron Dec. 13. He sistently recommended in all CAP emergency services
assumed command from C/1st Lt. Patrick Vinge. training events.

Minnesota Wing Civil Air Patrol,

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