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.
Students also have the opportunity to get scholarships for military programs after high school.
Joshua Hechesky, a seventh-grader at Hurricane Middle, plans to attend the Air Force Academy after high school and train to be a pilot. He's hoping his experience in the Civil Air Patrol will help him get in. In the meantime, he'd like to see more students in the area get involved in the program. It teaches them to lead and communication techniques, and it's just all-around fun. Return to Putnam County Schools Home Page.