Brainerd Spotted®

Marshalling - Cadet Technical Sergeant Calan Merchlewitz from Mankato Marshalling CAP aircraft on the flight line.

Statewide Volunteers train in Brainerd, Minnesota

On Saturday, October 18, the Crow Wing Composite Squadron of the Minnesota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) hosted a search and rescue training exercise at the Brainerd Airport. Twelve light aircraft from the Wing were safely employed by qualified crews mentoring trainees on operational procedures and communications equipment.

Forty-four MN Wing CAP members from across the state joined in the exercise. Aircrews, ground teams, communications and staff support personnel addressed several emergency services scenarios including looking for an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal from a downed aircraft to updating pilot, observer, scanners and ground team skills.

"The over all exercise went well", said 1st Lt Jeffrey Weitemier of Browerville, event coordinator and Crow Wing Composite Squadron, Deputy Commander and Project Officer. Lt Col Dave Skaar from Hutchinson and 1st Lt George Anderson from Minneapolis assisted with the air operations. Captain Jacob Heffron from Fort Ripley managed the ground and communications operations. Coordinating financial matters for the airplanes and vehicles was Col Kevin Sliwinski from Bloomington; assisted by Captain Norville Pervier from Brainerd. Major Paul Pieper from Inver Grove Heights was the flight line supervisor along with cadets from the Duluth and Mankato squadrons. Col. Tom Weston, North Central Region Vice Commander, came to support Minnesota Wing and update his training. Cadets marshaled the flight line.

If you would like more information on the Minnesota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, log onto http://www.mncap.org/ or the National CAP site at http://gocivilairpatrol.com/html/index.htm and http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/index.cfm