An auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, the Civil Air Patrol's three missions are aerospace education, offering cadet programs for young people ages 11 through 21 and providing help with emergency services. The aerospace education members receive includes lessons on aviation and aerospace in everyday living. One stays in cockpit, and one in back. They learn safety features and parts of aircraft. Eventually, cadets fly the plane themselves, with supervision until receiving their pilots license.
Cadets also attend summer encampment, similar to military camp.
They sleep in barracks. They also do survival and physical fitness training, help out emergency services with disaster relief, perform community service projects and undergo leadership training. To determine their rank, members take tests on aerospace and leadership. You take a test, and if you pass it, you get a higher rank. CAP develops young people's self-esteem, said Debbie Boggs , public affairs officer for the West Virginia Wing.