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National Cadet Advisory Council Chair, Vice Chair Named
Cadet Col. Reagan Hess of the Missouri Wing is the new chair of the National Cadet Advisory Council and Cadet Lt. Col. Reef Ide of the Florida Wing is vice chair.
Maj. Gen. Edward D. Phelka, Civil Air Patrol national commander, appointed the two to the council’s two top leadership positions. Both already served on the council – Hess as vice chair and Ide as Southeast Region primary representative.
Wentzville Composite Squadron member Hess has been a CAP member five years and is the Missouri Wing’s Leadership and Activities Officer. She has attended five encampments, Hawk Mountain Ranger School, and the Alaska Wing Flight Academy.
In July 2020 she achieved Civil Air Patrol's top cadet honor, the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz, attained by less than one-half of 1% of all cadets. She was also selected Missouri Wing Cadet of the Year and North Central Region Cadet of the Year for 2020.
Outside CAP, Hess is a cross country runner, varsity swimmer, private pilot and violinist in the school's orchestra. She maintains a 4.68 GPA as a high school senior.
Hess said she’s "very excited to begin the new term and make important changes in the cadet program."
Ide belongs to the Central Florida Composite Squadron and has also been a CAP member five years. He joined for the opportunities the organization offered for learning and practicing leadership.
He has served on cadet staff for five encampments as cadre and participated in such National Cadet Special Activities as Cadet Officer School, the Pararescue Orientation Course, Civic Leadership Academy and National Blue Beret.
“The opportunity to serve the cadet program as the NCAC vice chair is very close to my heart because of our ability to improve the experiences of the tens of thousands of cadets currently in CAP and form an even better program for future cadets to grow in,” Ide said.
Outside CAP, Ide is a volunteer emergency medical technician for Baltimore County, Maryland, and is a sophomore at Johns Hopkins University. He is pursuing a double major in neuroscience and economics and belongs to the men’s swim team.
Cadet Advisory Councils operate at the national, region and wing levels. Their purposes are to:
- Provide a forum where cadets gain leadership experience at higher organizational levels.
- Aid commanders in monitoring and implementing the cadet program.
- Make recommendations to the commander for improving and running the cadet program.