Missouri Civil Air Patrol Planning Statewide Training Drill

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. – Members of the Missouri Wing of Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, will be participating in a statewide training exercise on Saturday, October 19, 2024.

The exercise will also include an evaluation of Missouri Wing to ensure that its members can perform as required for the missions they are entrusted with by Civil Air Patrol, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, and First Air Force.

Mission base will be located at the Sedalia Regional Airport in Sedalia, Missouri. An additional operating base will be located at the Joplin Regional Airport in Joplin, Missouri.

Residents of Jasper, Newton, and Pettis Counties may see CAP aircraft, ground teams, and small unmanned aircraft systems (drone) crews during the exercise.

Volunteers from across the state will participate in the following training tasks:

• Aerial damage and assessment photo reconnaissance of critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges, dams, and levees.
• Ground team inspection of critical infrastructure.
• Aircrew and ground team searches for missing aircraft and persons.
• Damage assessment, disaster relief, and search and rescue training for small unmanned aircraft systems (drone) aircrew.
• Mission base staff training.
• State-wide radio communication drills including airborne repeater use.
• Use of the National Incident Command System (ICS) for command and control.

Formal disaster relief and search and rescue training exercises are held on a regular basis throughout the state several times each year.

“Missouri Wing is evaluated on a regular basis to make sure we are ready for when the call comes from our communities in need,” said Maj. Matthew Brown, exercise coordinator and Missouri Wing director of emergency services. “Recent flooding and damage from hurricanes and tornadoes in the Southeast have shown the value of community–based responses. I’m proud of the volunteer members of Missouri Wing who make time for this valuable training.”

Acting as a Total Force partner and official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, Civil Air Patrol helps First Air Force rapidly respond to nonmilitary threats domestically in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities capacity to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage, and provide humanitarian assistance.

About Missouri Wing
The Missouri Wing of Civil Air Patrol is composed of over 900 members organized in almost thirty units located throughout the state. Assets include eight single-engine aircraft, twenty-one vehicles, and extensive communication equipment. The wing conducted one search and rescue mission, twenty-three training missions, and fifteen other state and federal support missions in 2023. Visit mowg,cap.gov for more information.

About Civil Air Patrol
Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures. Visit CAP.news or GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information.