Middle East Region Cadet Leadership School Draws Record Field

Capt. Tyler Hoover
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
South Caroliina Wing

Photos by Capt. Tyler Hoover

 

The opportunity to hone their leadership skills through a range of activities and training sessions drew 61 Civil Air Patrol cadets – most ever for the activity – from nine wings and four regions to North Carolina’s Justice Academy East in Salemburg, site of this year’s Middle East Region Cadet Leadership School – South.

The Region Cadet Leadership School program, coordinated every year by each CAP region, is one of the capstone executive leadership courses for the cadet program. Like its national counterpart, Cadet Officer School, the program is designed as an academically intensive activity that requires participants to explore new viewpoints on indirect leadership, officership, core values and similar concepts that CAP cadet officers are expected to embrace.

The cadets completed over 40 hours of instruction in classroom and practical application settings throughout the weeklong academy. Attendance was limited to a select group of cadets. Participants were required to hold at least the rank of cadet master sergeant, have attended a CAP encampment and be endorsed by their unit and wing commanders.

Graduates are expected to exemplify the highest ideals of CAP’s cadet program and to be equipped for the rigors of executive leadership and upper-level cadet command positions at the local, wing and national levels.

This year, participants gained experience in the arenas of public speaking, critical thinking, strategic leadership and group problem-solving. Training was led by 18 members from across the region, including four Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award recipients, two former wing directors of cadet programs and former member of CAP’s National Cadet Advisory Council.

In addition to completing demanding academic courses and engaging in practical leadership application through projects, speeches and team leadership problems, cadets also had the opportunity to tour Fort Bragg and the U.S. Air Force 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Field, participate in question-and-answer sessions with CAP and Air Force leaders from across the region, and complete the base’s Leadership Reaction Course.

The activity was jointly led by Maj. Barry Feinstein, activity director, and Cadet Col. Josiah Bilbrey, cadet commander. Feinstein, who serves in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant aboard the USS George Washington, is a former CAP cadet colonel who first attended the region leadership school in 2005 – an experience he has said jumpstarted his CAP career.

Bilbrey, who earned his Spaatz award – CAP’s top cadet honor, achieved by five of every 1,000 cadets – in July, credits the 2017 leadership school with providing him invaluable leadership skills that he plans to exercise through an Air Force career.

“RCLS taught me practical leadership skills, like delegation, public speaking and team leadership, that I use every day,” he said. “The thing I love most about this activity is that it’s not leaders teaching followers; it’s about leaders helping other leaders.”

Here are the participating cadets

Delaware Wing
Coastal Patrol Base 2 Memorial Composite Squadron

• Cadet 2nd Lt. Joseph Klosiewicz
   
• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Gavin Beauchamp

Florida Wing
Jacksonville Composite Squadron

• Cadet Capt. Joseph Burke

Maryland Wing
Arundel Composite Squadron

• Cadet Capt. Matthew Fangio
   
• Cadet 1st Lt. Hailey Boyd

Carroll Composite Squadron

• Cadet Capt. Laura Midkiff

Howard Composite Squadron

• Cadet 1st Lt. Ethan Brown

Mount Airy Composite Squadron

• Cadet Master Sgt. Katherine Grasley

Upper Montgomery Composite Squadron:

• Cadet 1st Lt. Katherine Weinhold (Honor Cadet Officer)

Michigan Wing
Owosso Composite Squadron

• Cadet 2nd Lt. Gabriella Orme

National Headquarters
Mildenhall Cadet Squadron

• Cadet 2nd Lt. Arianna Barker

New York Wing
Stalwart Cadet Squadron

• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Xavier De La Rosa

North Carolina Wing
Asheville Composite Squadron

• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Micaiah Bilbrey
   
• Cadet 2nd Lt. Andrew Blankinship

Boone Composite Squadron

• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Caden Cothren
   
• Cadet Master Sgt. Calvin Williamson

Brunswick County Composite Squadron

• Cadet Master Sgt. Philip Nazzaro

Composite Squadron of the Waxhaws

• Cadet Maj. Ryan David
   
• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Isabella Ross

Fayetteville Composite Squadron

• Cadet 2nd Lt. Ashlyn Wells
   
• Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Abigail Pope

Franklin County Composite Squadron

• Cadet Capt. Korey Floyd

Gastonia Composite Squadron

• Cadet Capt. Anthony DiPasquale

Goldsboro Composite Squadron

• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Aiden Peditto

Guilford Composite Squadron

• Cadet Capt. Aidan Kelley
   
• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Tavia Copening
   
• Cadet Master Sgts. Ella Gott, Sage Gott and Isabella Wright

Pitt-Greenville Composite Squadron

• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Natalia Randolph

Randolph Composite Squadron:

• Cadet Capt. Cameron Smith
   
• Cadet 1st Lt. Kacie Jordan
   
• Cadet Senior Master Sgts. Karly Jordan and Kolby Jordan
   
• Cadet Master Sgt. Adam Stone

Shelby Composite Squadron

• Cadet Capt. Ryan Buckton

Winston Salem Composite Squadron

• Cadet Master Sgt. Zach Fernandez

Apex Cadet Squadron

• Cadet Maj. Jonathan Sellers
   
• Cadet 1st Lt. Jacob Moorman 

South Carolina Wing
Anderson Composite Squadron

• Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Sarah Hampton

Florence Composite Squadron

• Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Trae Ann Proell

Lexington Composite Squadron

• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Farhat

Low Country Composite Squadron

• Cadet 2nd Lt. Payton Mercer

Virginia Wing
Burke Composite Squadron

• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Joan Gibson (Honor Cadet NCO)

Coastal Composite Squadron:

• Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Kylie Mulvey
• Cadet Master Sgts. Oliver Hewitt-Qualls, Jacob Holinger, Samuel Morrow and Simon Thurston

Herndon Composite Squadron

• Cadet Master Sgt. Pranav Ravella

Leesburg Composite Squadron

• Cadet Master Sgt. Ethan Jardines

Lynchburg Composite Squadron

• Cadet Capt. William Heppding (Outstanding Speaker Award)

Montgomery Composite Squadron

• Cadet 2nd Lt. Anna Haas

Newport-News Composite Squadron

• Cadet Capt. Benjamin Roose
   
• Cadet 1st Lts. Ryan Adams and William Fronkier
   
• Cadet Chief Master Sgts. Mark Roose and Caleb Song

Prince William Composite Squadron

• Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Ethan Cole
   
• Cadet 2nd Lt. Evan Heindreich

West Richmond Cadet Squadron

• Cadet Capt. Noah Fuller

Cadet cadre

Cadet Commander – Cadet Col. Josiah Bilbrey

Cadet Executive Officer Cadet – Maj. Noah Beauchamp

Cadet Support Officer – Cadet Lt. Col. Tyler Smith

Charlie Flight Commander – Cadet 1st Lt. James Edwards

Golf Flight Commander – Cadet Maj. Robert Lewis

Hotel Flight Commander – Cadet Lt. Col. Grant McDaris

Tango Flight Commander – Cadet Capt. Bryce Jackson

Whiskey Flight Commander – Cadet Maj. Madeline Nagele

Zulu Flight Commander – Cadet 1st Lt. Mia Keegan

Senior Cadre

Activity Director – Maj. Barry Feinstein, Coastal Composite Squadron, Virginia Wing

Deputy Commander of Cadets – Capt. Harrison Nagele, Hickory Composite Squadron, North Carolina Wing

Deputy Commander of Support – Capt. Kate Maxfield, Burlington Composite Squadron, North Carolina Wing

Chief Training Officer – Capt. Roger Sayers, Greenville Composite Squadron, South Carolina Wing

Training Officer – Capt. Tyler Hoover, Headquarters, South Carolina Wing

Safety, Administration and Health Services Officer – Capt. Jordan Crawford, Burlington Composite Squadron, North Carolina Wing

Transportation Officer ­– 1st Lt. Jane Proell, Florence Composite Squadron, South Carolina Wing

Logistics Officer – 2nd Lt. Timothy Johnson, Winston Salem Composite Squadron, North Carolina Wing

Public Affairs Officer – 2nd Lt. Brent Chappell, Arundel Composite Squadron, Maryland Wing