One Civil Air Patrol: Showing Solidarity With Victims of ‘Senseless Violence’

As America’s Jewish community continues to mourn the massacre of 11 worshippers at a Pennsylvania synagogue, top leaders within Civil Air Patrol affirmed their support for those who are suffering from the tragedy.

“Once again our nation has been impacted by senseless violence, this time directed against the Jewish faith community,” said CAP National Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, shortly after the shooting rampage on Oct. 27. “As a Civil Air Patrol family, we grieve alongside our Jewish members and stand in solidarity with the Jewish community.”

The general’s message, in part, is still visible today as a scrolled message atop CAP’s main website, GoCivilAirPatrol.com, which reads, “Please keep those impacted by last weekend's horrific act of anti-Semitism in Pittsburgh in your thoughts and prayers.”

The shooting in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, which killed 11 and injured six, was the deadliest attack ever on Jews in the U.S. Suspect Robert Bow

ers, 46, targeted Jews online and made anti-Semitic comments during the shooting. He faces 29 federal charges, some of which are punishable by death.

The tragedy strikes at the heart of all people of faith, including the nearly 450 members of CAP’s Chaplain Corps.

Chaplain Col. Charles Sattgast, CAP's chief of chaplains, issued a statement this morning:

“In the past year several senseless acts of violence have impacted our Civil Air Patrol members, the shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pennsylvania being the most recent. We are truly one Civil Air Patrol, excelling in service to our members and our nation. This means when our members grieve we grieve with them and stand with them in solidarity.

“In 2015 an active shooter killed nine at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina. This past Friday the Rev. Eric S.C. Manning, the church pastor, traveled to Pittsburgh to provide solace to Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, show solidarity and ‘pay it forward,’ because of the support his congregation was shown during its tragedy. The Rev. Manning then assisted with the last of the funerals at Tree of Life.

“This show of solidarity by the Rev. Manning embodies all of our Civil Air Patrol core values and serves as a beautiful example we can live by as a CAP family. I ask that you keep all of our members who have been impacted by tragedy in recent weeks or over the past year in your thoughts and prayers.”