News

LeMay CAP squadron debuts new cyber/STEM classroom

  • Published
  • By Drew Nystrom
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, NEBRASKA --  Offutt’s Curtis E. LeMay Composite Squadron, the base’s Civil Air Patrol Total Force partner, hosted an open house March 30 at their squadron headquarters located in historic Building 44 on Grant’s Pass Rd.

The event showcased a new state-of-the-art cybersecurity and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning environment made possible by grants from a local corporate sponsor, the Offutt Officers’ Spouses’ Club and an anonymous donor.

The grants, in part, facilitated the renovation of Offutt’s oldest existing building, which originally served as a regimental blacksmith shop constructed in 1891. It will now prepare young men and women for the 21st Century.

“The STEM and cybersecurity classroom will facilitate our unit’s entry into the national CyberPatriot youth education program hosted by the Air Force Association,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Mickey Jordan, Curtis E. LeMay Composite Squadron leadership advisor, said. “By participating in CyberPatriot, youth in our community will be introduced to exciting and lucrative career paths and learn valuable teamwork and organizational skills.”

Participation in the CyberPatriot program and the incorporation of STEM-specific curriculum is meant to inspire students toward careers in cybersecurity or other STEM disciplines important to our nation's future.

According to Cadet Airman Natalie Crayton, a LeMay Composite Squadron member, the new technologically-centered classrooms and equipment does just that.

“They [CAP instructors] have made me feel like I can do anything that has to do with technology,” Crayton said. “I might not make a career out of technology, but I can if I want to.”

“Our cadets are motivated and act as mentors to each other,” Lt. Col. Robert W. Whelan, Curtis E. LeMay Composite Squadron commander, said. “We [senior mentors] provide guidance, but the cadets do a great job of staying on track and accomplishing their goals.”

Historically, CAP cadets have excelled at the AFA’s annual CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. Most recently, cadet teams finished third overall in 2016 and second in 2015 against more than 3,000 other teams. In 2011 and 2012, CAP cadets placed first nationally.

The Air Force formally recognized CAP, the official Auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, as a Total Force partner in 2015.

About 56,000 members make up CAP, which celebrated 75 years of service on Dec. 1, 2016, and consists of eight geographical regions, composed of 52 separate wings. There are wings in each state as well as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. The organization operates a fleet of 550 aircraft and performs about 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. CAP is credited with saving an average of 78 lives every year.

Its members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. Nationwide, about 24,000 young people currently participate in the CAP cadet program.

For more information about Offutt’s Curtis E. LeMay Composite Squadron, visit http://offuttcomposite.nebraskacivilairpatrol.org/index.html or call (402) 294-4597.