Iowa Wing News Online
Monday, August 28, 2006
One hundred and ten officers and cadets of the Iowa Wing participated in the August Drill Weekend at Camp Dodge. Officers and cadets were able to participate in either the ES Academy to get qualified in a new job, the Operations Exercise allowed crews to remain current and proficient in their jobs, and for the first time our cadets had a separate track that focused on their leadership and aerospace education if they were not a part of any of the other events.
In all we flew 38 sorties and 50 flight hours in less than two days of operations. Aircrews flew against over a dozen practice and training scenarios during the day and even had two scenarios at night.
Saturday started off with an in-briefing from the Wing Staff. Brenda Brock with the National Weather Service provided crews with a weather briefing both days. Missouri Wing pilots Maj David Plum and Capt Larry Burch flew up their Wing’s new GA-8 Airvan and flew many of our aircrews on practice sorties.
Sunday we flew a practice sortie with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary at Lake Saylorville. Two aircrews rotated in to help locate a simulated missing kayaker and lead the US Coast Guard Auxiliary’s boat to the site to look for the boater. Also on Sunday the STAR1 Search and Rescue team supported the ground teams with K-9 handlers and dogs to go out on several mock missing person searches on Camp Dodge.
If you didn’t make it to drill this month, you missed a lot. So come on out in September and see what you missed.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
This past weekend was busy with CAP Missions and activities.
Saturday at 0530 hours Iowa CAP was alerted by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center to an Emergency Locator Transmitter signal on 121.5 mHz. The Search and Rescue Satellite System (SARSAT) indicated the signal was originating west of Grimes, Iowa. Maj John Halbrook headed up the CAP response. Weather in the area did not allow for aerial search so a ground team from Central Iowa was sent to track the signal. Unfortunately the next satellite passes were negative and the ELT was not heard from again.
At 2140 hours Iowa CAP was again alerted by the AFRCC to an ELT signal. This time the SARSAT coordinates indicated it was east of Charles City. Maj Doug Jansen headed up the CAP response and launched an aircrew from Des Moines Senior Squadron and a ground team from the 78th Cadet Squadron. The next satellite passes were again negative and the crews returned to base at 0530 hours.
At 1500 hours on Sunday Iowa CAP was once again called into action by the AFRCC. SARSAT coordinates indicated the signal source was south of the Cedar Rapids Airport. A Cedar Rapids aircrew was re-tasked in air to locate the signal while a ground team from the 78th Cadet Squadron was dispatched to aid in the search. This aircrew’s Becker DF system directed them to the source on the west side of the Airport. They landed and met up with the ground team. The ground team tracked down the signal and airport authorities opened a hangar and silenced the ELT.
What a WEEKEND! This weekend was also busy with flying cadets on orientation flights. Cadet orientation flights were scheduled to be flown in Ames, Fort Dodge, and Davenport. Now that all of this flying is done several of our aircraft are in the shop for scheduled maintenance (and a break). You can get some flying in too, come out to the Drill Weekend this weekend!
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Four cadets from the 78th Cadet Squadron participated in the National Emergency Services Academy at Camp Atterbury, Indiana last week:
C/1st Lt John Sullivan
C/2d Lt Kyle Kephart
C/CMSgt Landon Jones
C/CMSgt Andy Tiemann
These cadets served in various capacities at the activity which focused on educating new ground team personnel from across the county in the latest SAR tactics.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Story County Officials alerted Iowa Civil Air Patrol to another missing person in the early hours of Friday. The individual was last seen in a trailer park Nevada, IA and disappeared without his belongings or identification late Thursday evening.
CAP aircrews from Ankeny and Cedar Rapids as well as ground team personnel from Ames, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, and Red Oak were called upon to help locate the objective.
Searchers found the objective, safe and sound, Friday morning.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Iowa Civil Air Patrol crews located Mr. Michael Geyman late this afternoon after mounting a search and rescue operation. Mr. Geyman was reported missing to the Eldora Police Department by friends late Sunday evening after he did not return home after a gathering with friends. A thorough investigation into his whereabouts and activities was conducted by the Eldora Police Department. This morning Chief Twedt of the Eldora Police Department launched a Search and Rescue operation to try and locate Mr. Geyman. Chief Twedt contacted local authorities, Iowa Homeland Security, and the Iowa Civil Air Patrol for support. Fifty searchers began to comb rural Hardin County to try to locate Mr. Geyman.
Search operations continued until 3:30 pm when Mr. Geyman was located by the Iowa Civil Air Patrol in rural Hardin County near Eldora. Iowa Civil Air Patrol had deployed trained aircrews and ground search personnel to the area to help coordinate the search effort.
Mr. Geyman had perished due to injuries sustained during a motorcycle accident. This accident is now currently under investigation by the Hardin County Sheriff’s Department.
Iowa Civil Air Patrol is available to support local search operations at no cost to local authorities. CAP Personnel from Ames, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, and Fort Dodge participated in the search.
