Arizona Team Captures Southwest Region Cadet Competition

The Arizona Wing team captured first place in the Southwest Region Cadet Competition in Waxahachie, Texas, followed by the Oklahoma Wing and Louisiana Wing entries and a second set of cadets from Oklahoma.

The six-member teams completed in events involving precision and teamwork, including indoor and outdoor color guard challenges, a written test of leadership and aerospace knowledge, a physical fitness test, team leadership problems (group problem-solving challenges). and a uniform inspection. 

The Arizona Wing cadets, composed of Davis-Monthan Composite Squadron members, finished first in five of the six team categories — Indoor Drill, Outdoor Drill, Standard Drill, Uniform Inspection, Written Exam, and Physical Fitness Test. The team also placed second in the Team Leadership Problem.

In addition, Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Brady Stiffler ran the fastest mile at 5:52 to win the male Fleet Foot award, and Cadet 2nd Lt. Benjamin Parsons achieved the top score in the Written Exam. 

The team finished second in Speeches, with Cadet Master Sgt. Zoey Stiffler placing first in the Impromptu category. and third in the Panel Quiz.

The winning team consisted of:

Second place went to the Oklahoma Wing entry from the Edmond Composite Squadron:

The team finished first in the Speeches and Panel Quiz categories; second in Indoor Drill, Standard Drill, Written Exam, Physical Fitness Test, and Team Leadership Problem; and third in Outdoor Drill and Uniform Inspection. 

Coutino won the Extemporaneous speech category.

The third-place team hailed from the Louisiana Wing’s Tangipahoa Cadet Squadron:

The Louisiana Wing team placed second in Outdoor Drill and Uniform Inspection and third in Indoor Drill, Standard Drilll, and Physical Fitness Test as well as Speeches.

Cadet 2nd Lt. Dixie Dupas ran a 6:35 mile to capture the female Fleet Foot award.

Finishing fourth was the second Oklahoma Wing team, consisting of Broken Arrow Composite Squadron cadets:

The team took second place in the Panel Quiz and third in Written Exam and Team Leadership Problem.

The eight Civil Air Patrol regions are all conducting their own competitions, previously held to select teams for the National Cadet Competition. The national event has been discontinued, with a goal of increasing participation across CAP while reducing demands on time and resources.