2 Livingston Students Earn Prestigious Award From Civil Air Patrol

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Civil Air Patrol. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Two Livingston High School freshman students, Aman Harshvardhan (age 14) and Alexander Morin (age 15), received the General Billy Mitchell Award from the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) on September 30, 2025. The awards were presented by retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. and Livingston High School principal, Amro Mohammed, at a ceremony held at the American Red Cross in Fairfield, NJ. The cadets are members of the Curtiss-Wright Composite Squadron of CAP’s New Jersey Wing.

The Mitchell Award recognizes the sustained excellence of Civil Air Patrol cadets across all four areas of cadet life: leadership, aerospace, fitness, and character. An estimated 15% of cadets who join CAP earn this award.

As Mitchell Award recipients, cadets Harshvardhan and Morin are elevated to the rank of cadet officer and promoted to the grade of cadet second lieutenant. As officers, they will have to take on more responsibility for leading junior-ranking cadets while continuing to develop themselves as “dynamic American and aerospace leaders.”

Harshvardhan joined the Civil Air Patrol two years ago and immediately embraced its missions, including aviation, aerospace, volunteerism, and emergency services. He pursued opportunities to learn and lead in his home squadron and by participating in activities in the Northeast Region of CAP. In summer 2023, he graduated from the Connecticut Wing’s Basic Encampment Training with an “honor cadet” recognition. In August 2025, he served as a flight sergeant supporting 15 cadets during their New Jersey Basic Encampment Training. Recently, he was named flight commander, leading one of Curtiss-Wright’s three flights. In this role, he is responsible for ensuring his 15-cadet flight is progressing in the Civil Air Patrol program.

Harshvardhan says he is “inspired to help his peers grow into greatness and excellence” and credits CAP for providing him with the tools to fuel his own leadership development. After high school, he hopes to attend the United States Air Force Academy and become either a fighter pilot or a pararescueman, as he is interested in performing personnel recovery and combat search-and-rescue missions.

Harshvardhan is an honors student, fluent in Hindi and French. He is a competitive archer, varsity track athlete, and plays jazz guitar. His mother, Shiny Titua, and father, Harsh Sain, are from India. His father is also a CAP member.

Morin joined Civil Air Patrol three years ago and has been a devoted and active member ever since. In addition to serving his home squadron in multiple support roles and as a flight sergeant, he has participated in three cybersecurity programs and competitions.

In 2025, he graduated from CAP’s Engineering Technology Academy and two programs with CAP’s New Jersey Wing: Advanced Encampment and Non-Commissioned Officer Academy. In August 2025, Morin completed training at the New Jersey GSAR (Ground Search And Rescue) school.

Morin’s mother, Jasmin Morin, is CAP Cyber Education Officer and Deputy Commander of Cadet Programs at Curtiss-Wright Squadron. His brother, Francis Morin, is an active CAP cadet, and his father, Harry Morin, is a chaperone volunteer.

Morin says, “Civil Air Patrol has inspired [him] to reach higher as a student and a leader.” He attributes his accomplishments to his commitment to consistent training and a willingness to tackle new challenges.

After completing a CAP National Activity this past summer, where his team won an airport design contest,

Morin is considering a professional future that combines his technical and creative skills.

Reflecting on this important milestone in cadets Harshvardhan and Morin journey in Civil Air Patrol, Lt. Col Carol McCloud, the commander of the Curtiss-Wright Squadron says “I couldn’t be more proud of these two cadets. Each of them has grown in skill, character and leadership. They are excellent examples of our nation’s young leaders.”

About Civil Air Patrol

The Civil Air Patrol is the longtime auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and, as such, is a valued member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 560 single-engine aircraft and 1,550 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. It performs about 90% of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 82 lives annually. CAP’s 66,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies.

CAP also plays a leading role in STEM and aerospace education, and its adult members serve as mentors to 32,000 cadets nationwide. Visit www.CAP.News or www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information.

About the Curtiss-Wright Composite Squadron

The Curtiss-Wright Composite Squadron is a local unit of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) that has 58 cadets and 28 adult members who reside in area townships, including West Orange, Caldwell, Cedar Grove, East Hanover, Fairfield, Livingston, Morristown, Parsippany, Roseland, and Wayne.

The squadron meets on Tuesday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the American Red Cross Northern New Jersey Headquarters, 209 Fairfield Road, Fairfield, NJ.

More about the CAP Curtiss-Wright Composite Squadron is here: http://nj073.cap.gov/ Prospective members (teens 12+ and adults) are welcome to visit on any Tuesday - Email edward.bikales@njwg.cap.gov for more details.

About the BILLY MITCHELL AWARD

The Gen. Billy Mitchell Award honors the late Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, aviation pioneer, advocate, and staunch supporter of an independent Air Force for America. The award is earned after completing the first eight achievements of the cadet program. Mitchell recipients must pass comprehensive examinations on leadership and aerospace topics and have completed a week-long encampment immersing them in a challenging leadership and STEM environment.

Additionally, the cadet must pass an arduous 100-question examination that tests on leadership theory and aerospace topics. Since its inception in 1964, 42,000 cadets have earned this honor.

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