Outstanding CAP Achievers Saluted at National Conference

Civil Air Patrol honored its best and brightest this morning at the organization's National Conference in Anaheim, California, as 28 members, two wings and two units were recognized for service to the nation, their communities and CAP.

The 28 members honored represent 18 wings and all eight CAP regions.

Leading the list of honorees were Lt. Col. Brenda A. Reed, Senior Member of the Year; Cadet Lt. Col. Joshua L. Klosterman of the South Dakota Wing’s Big Sioux Composite Squadron, Cadet of the Year; and the New Jersey Wing’s Twin Pine Composite Squadron, Squadron of Distinction.

A CAP member since July 2003, Reed has served at the squadron, wing and region levels and has been Maryland Wing chief of staff since April 2016. Along the way, she served as Carroll Composite Squadron commander and Middle East Region director of public affairs. As wing chief of staff she remains involved in CAP public relations nationally and at the region and wing levels.

Reed has also placed an emphasis on education within CAP. She initiated an E-learning program in 2013 to aid members with distance education, has also taught several in-residence courses and is a frequent presenter at wing and region conferences.

Honors she has received during her CAP tenure include wing Personnel Officer of the Year in 2004, wing Public Affairs Officer of the Year in 2005, Middle East Region PAO of the Year in 2010 and wing Squadron Commander of the Year in 2010. Nationally, she has received six first-place Maj. Howell Balsem Public Affairs Exceptional Achievement Awards for her work in social media, on websites and in photography.

Klosterman, who’s now a senior member holding the rank of first lieutenant, joined CAP in March 2009. He served as his squadron’s cadet commander and represented the North Central Region as Cadet Advisory Council chairman and National Cadet Advisory representative.

He also served as staff at the North Central Region Cadet Competition and National Cadet Competition, as cadet commander at the Region Cadet Leadership School and the 2015 Joint Dakota Encampment and as the region representative to the National Cyber Committee.

Klosterman participated for four years in the Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot national high school cyber defense competition; his teams were National CyberPatriot Digital Forensics Champion in 2012, Cisco Networking Champion in 2013 and CAP Champion in 2014. In 2015 he became one of only three competitors to receive the CyberPatriot Award of Excellence recipient, and he was a Collegiate Cyber Defense National Finalist in 2016.

As a cadet he was also active as a ground team member, mission radio operator and a mission staff assistant. He is a qualified ground team leader, communications unit leader, ground branch director and planning section chief.

The Twin Pine squadron used CAP’s Cadet Great Start Program in 2017 to not only retain 32 cadets but also add another 16 to its roster – a growth rate of 33 percent. Squadron leaders stress fair, equal treatment of cadets while emphasizing the importance of bonding among all members.

Leaders also ensure that members participate in community service events, such as food and clothing drives. They maintain communication channels through weekly emails and a mentoring program.

In the past year, eight of the unit’s cadets received the Wright Brothers Award, four received the Gen. Billy Mitchell Award, three received the Amelia Earhart Award, one received the Gen. Ira C. Eaker Award and one received the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award – CAP’s highest cadet honor, achieved by less than one-half of 1 percent of all cadets.

In addition to Reed, Klosterman and the Twin Pine squadron, awards were also presented as follows:

Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year
Capt. Brian D. Johnston
Barrow-Jackson Composite SquadronGeorgia Wing

Frank Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award, Cadet Category
Cadet Lt. Col. Julie Demyanovich
Prince William Composite Squadron
Virginia Wing

Frank Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award, Senior Member Category
Lt. Col. Kathleen E. Beauford
Headquarters
Louisiana Wing

Frank Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award, Lifetime Achievement Category
Lt. Col. Sherwood J. Williams
248th TAC Air Flight 
Wisconsin Wing

Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award, Individual/Organization
Hollister (Missouri) High School and Middle School

Air Force Sergeants Association Cadet NCO of the Year
Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Morgan Marie Balsley
Peachtree City Falcon Field Composite
SquadronGeorgia Wing

Character Development Instructor of the Year
1st Lt. Julie K. Margeson
Headquarters
Nevada Wing

Communicator of the Year
Capt. Chris A. Macspadden
Headquarters
Washington Wing

Col. Dion E. Decamp Ground Team of the Year
Group VI
Texas Wing

Director of Finance of the Year
Lt. Col. Elsa M. Soto
Headquarters
Puerto Rico Wing

Drug Demand Reduction Officer of the Year
Lt. Col. Kenneth G. Dilley
Headquarters
West Virginia Wing

Drug Demand Reduction Wing of the Year
West Virginia Wing

Norm Edwards Counterdrug Officer of the Year
Maj. Keith R. Clapp
Headquarters
Kentucky Wing

Historian of the Year
Capt. Patrick Y. Whang
Headquarters
Maryland Wing

Maj. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm Aerospace Education Officer of the Year
Maj. William M. Blatchley
Colorado Springs Cadet Squadron
Colorado Wing

Inspector General of the Year
Lt. Col. Todd G. Scioneaux
Headquarters
Louisiana Wing

Col. David Kantor Operations Staff Officer of the Year
Lt. Col. Eric Templeton
National Emergency Services Academy Squadron

Col. Edwin W. Lewis Jr. Incident Staff Member of the Year (Co-Recipients)
Lt. Col. Clyde R. Woolfolk Jr.
Green Flag East Flight
Louisiana Wing

Lt. Col. Harvey L. Yarborough
Headquarters
Alabama Wing

Col. Robert V. “Bud” Payton Public Affairs Officer of the Year
Lt. Col. Morgan L. Torp-Pedersen
Headquarters
Tennessee Wing

Professional Development Officer of the Year
Lt. Col. Michael D. Bryant
Group II
Kentucky Wing

Property Management Officer of the Year
Lt. Col. Philip A. Berchtold
Headquarters
Oklahoma Wing

Safety Officer of the Year
Lt. Col. Joseph J. Palys
Headquarters
Connecticut Wing

Squadron Chaplain of the Year
Maj. Jack R. Bennet
Southern Kentucky Cadet Squadron
Kentucky Wing

Senior Chaplain of the Year
Lt. Col. Harrell L. Cobb
Greenville Composite Squadron
Group 1
Tennessee Wing

Jack Sorenson Cadet Programs Officer of the Year
Lt. Col. Victor A. Santana
Headquarters
Louisiana Wing

George Texido Legislative Officer of the Year
Lt. Col. James A. Dodrill
Headquarters
West Virginia Wing

Paul W. Turner Safety Award
Arizona Wing

Maj. Gen. Dwight H. Wheless Legal Officer of the Year
Col. Robert M. Karton
Headquarters
Great Lakes Region

Lt. Col. T. Keith Riddle Award Aircrew Member of the Year
Maj. Alfred Spain
Green Flag East Flight
Louisiana Wing