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Montana Cadet Achieves Wing's 17th Spaatz Award
Cadet Col. Gary G.K. Petro is the Montana Wing’s 17th recipient of the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award, Civil Air Patrol’s top cadet honor.
The Flathead Composite Squadron member joined CAP in February 2019. He earned his private pilot certificate last September, followed soon after by a remote pilot certificate.
He’s now training to become a small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) mission pilot for CAP.
Home-schooled from kindergarten, Petro completed home school equivalent of high school with a 3.8 grade-point average.
He’s in his second year of study at Flathead Community College in Kalispell and will graduate with an associate degree in criminal justice.etro is undecided about his career goals but is interested in becoming an emergency medical technician or in working for an airline.
Less than one-half of 1% of cadets achieve the Spaatz award. Cadets qualify for the honor after an
average of four years progressing through the 16 achievements in the CAP cadet program.
The award goes to those who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, character, fitness, and aerospace education.
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Maj. Steven C. Heffel
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
Wyoming Wing