Cadet 2d Lt Priyanka Nair of Glen Ridge, NJ, receives the Civil Air Patrol(CAP) Billy Mitchell Award

Recently, Cadet 2d Lt Priyanka Nair, of the Lone Eagle Composite Squadron, was presented with her Civil Air Patrol(CAP) Billy Mitchell Award by Capt. Adam Fitting, Commander, at the Morristown Armory, Morristown, NJ. She is the daughter of Mr. Nair and Mrs. Leju of Glen Ridge, NJ.

She served as a flight commander at TN Wing encampment and has given presentations on the importance of character and the Spittin' Kitten's Squadron history. She was named the honorable graduate at the NJ Ground Search & Rescue(GSAR) Summer School and qualified for GTM 3, 2, and UDF. She is a sophomore at Newark Academy on the Varsity basketball team. Outside of school, she enjoys playing and teaching violin.

The Billy Mitchell award, the second cadet milestone achievement, is earned after the successful completion of the first eight achievements of the cadet program. In addition to the achievements, the cadet must pass a comprehensive examination on aerospace and leadership and attend a Basic Encampment. Only about 15% of all Civil Air Patrol cadets achieve the Billy Mitchell Award.

Billy Mitchell Cadets who enlist in the U.S. Air Force are promoted to E-3 (airman first class) instead of E-1 (airman basic) upon completion of basic military training. Billy Mitchell cadets who enlist in the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps are promoted to E-2 instead of E-1 upon completion of basic military training. Further, Billy Mitchell cadets who enlist in the US Coast Guard are promoted to E-3 (seaman) instead of E-1 (seaman recruit) upon completion of boot camp. Finally, they are considered favorably by the admission staff for selection to the AFROTC and the USAF Academy.

The Lone Eagle Composite Squadron meets on Wednesday nights, 7:00 to 9:00 pm, at the Morristown National Guard Armory, NJ. Youth can start the cadet program at age twelve, and adults can join as senior members starting at age 18. For more information about the Lone Eagle Composite Squadron, contact Adam Fitting, Commander, at: adam.fitting@njwg.cap.gov. Also, see: www.loneeagle.org .

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.

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