Before Cadet Lt. Col. Svetlana Ehlers started Cadet Officer School at National Headquarters last month, she was asked: “What do you do when you’re stressed?”
“It seemed an odd question at the time, but I figured out the answer while I was there,” the 20-year-old said a week after returning to her Kansas City, Missouri, home from the intensive program at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
The 54th Cadet Officer School graduated 105 CAP cadets from 40 wings, along with 10 Canadian cadets. Modeled after U.S. Air Force Squadron Officer School, the program offers a comprehensive study of leadership principles and their practical applications. The curriculum is designed to be both intellectually stimulating and academically demanding.
“We take the top cadets from all across the nation and Canada, who come together to learn from one another and from experts about how to think critically and strategically,” said Lt. Col. Robert Smith, activity director for the school. “It tends to curve the arc of their trajectory in life. They start thinking about things differently instead of at only the tactical level.”
Concluding July 27, the 10-day course featured a diverse array of speakers and instructors, many of whom also train Air Force officers at Maxwell’s Air University. Inclusion is a high priority at the school, exposing cadets to different approaches to problem-solving based on varied backgrounds.
Ehlers is the school’s first blind graduate, made possible through her own grace and grit and adapted resources.
The experience reinforced in the aspiring motivational speaker something she and others already knew: “You don’t need to be fully able to be able to lead.”
CAP’s director of aerospace education, Shayla Freeman, arranged ahead of time for education materials in Braille, including an app-enabled robotic Sphero ball used for SAS CodeSnaps.
“The entire team wanted to make Cadet Ehlers feel part of the team. For her first time at COS, she didn’t shy away from anything. She was completely involved from start to finish,” Freeman said.
Sue Mercer, a seasoned educator, was the classroom instructor who taught Ehlers subjects such as code blocking using modern tools. “She was very willing to learn,” Mercer said. “She wanted to be part of everything. It was a privilege to be able to work with her.”
Staff and cadets also adapted for physical challenges. During volleyball, the team used a “jingle ball” that rings while in motion, enabling Ehlers to track the sound. It worked to a point. When the technology fell short, Ehlers switched to helping on the sidelines still wearing knee pads.
In yet another exercise, Smith showed a PowerPoint slide on a projector and asked students to solve a visual problem. He created a tactile version for Ehlers, who came up with the correct answer while others struggled.
The adaptations made a positive impression on everyone involved.
“Cadet Officer School changed what I thought CAP could offer. They went above and beyond,” said Ehlers, who serves as adviser to the cadet commander in the Missouri Wing’s Platte Valley Composite Squadron.
Ehlers spent nine years in various Armenian orphanages before being adopted by Kenneth and Natalina Ehlers, who encouraged her to join the organization when she turned 12.
Two adopted siblings, sister Kari and brother Michael, also joined CAP as cadets. Natalina Ehlers holds the Civil Air Patrol rank of major and serves as the Missouri Wing’s emergency services officer as well as the Platte Valley squadron’s deputy commander for seniors..
“For nine years, I sat and did nothing,” said Ehlers, who was blind at birth. “When I came to the U.S., I decided I would not sit anymore.
“Whatever challenge came my way, I would find a way to do it.”
That can-do spirit has been on display in the eight years since Ehlers joined CAP and steadily rose though the cadet ranks. Most recently she’s served as 2024 Arkansas Wing Encampment cadet commander and 2024 Missouri Wing Cadet Training Group cadet deputy commander of support.
She also said she’s close to completing all requirements for the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award, which less than one-half of 1% of CAP cadets attain.
“There were times when my disability led me to think I might not accomplish something,” she reflected. “I had to push myself to make it work. Now it’s the norm in CAP.”
She learned from Cadet Officer School’s Smith to understand staff weren’t making accommodations for her so much as providing the same resources in a different format. It’s a subtle but important difference for the young woman studying business at a local community college and planning a career of service once done.
“I want to get more people with disabilities into Civil Air Patrol,” she said. “I couldn’t be where I am without CAP.
“There are many organizations out there, but CAP is the place where I can find my limits and then find a way to surpass them.”_____Anne SaitaContributing Writer
Cadet Officer School Participants
In all, 105 cadets from 40 wings participated in Cadet Officer School, joined by another 10 cadets from Canada.
Alaska Wing
· Cadet 1st Lt. Lane Bryan Hillyer, Kenai Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Lydia Anne Schwartz, Kenai Composite Squadron
· Cadet 2nd Lt. Alexis Louise Juergens, Southeast Composite Squadron
Arizona Wing
· Cadet Capt. Jackson David Moss, 388th Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Scott Christian Ransdell, Scottsdale Composite Squadron 314
· Cadet Capt. Eli Aaron Tubbe, 388th Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Gunnar Eli Nicholls, 388th Composite Squadron
California Wing
· Cadet Capt. Eli Ash, Clover Field Composite Squadron 51
· Cadet Capt. Jesus Alberto Molina,Hemet-Ryan Composiate Squadron 59
· Cadet Capt. Cayden Alexander Washington, Skyhawk Cadet Squadron 47
· Cadet 1st Lt. Avamarie Brooklyn Dieutto, John C. Savage Challenger Cadet Squadron 1986
· Cadet 1st Lt. Colt Fry, Beale Composite Squadron 19
· Cadet 1st Lt. Dylan Fung, Cable Composite Squadron 25
· Cadet 1st Lt. Logan Thanh Yang, East Bay Cadet Squadron 18
· Cadet 2nd Lt. Benjamin Francis Buckhout, South San Diego Cadet Squadron 201
Colorado Wing
· Cadet Capt. Luke Handel Forbes, Mustang Cadet Squadron
Delaware Wing
· Cadet Capt. Curtis James Shivery, Brandywine Cadet Squadron
Florida Wing
· Cadet Maj. Ethan McPeek, Pines-Miramar Composite Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Roger Ryan Roden, Lake Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Everett Crane, Homestead Air Reserve Base Cadet Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Markie Marie Dotzler, Venice Cadet Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Felipe Ma-Pinto, 463rd Composite Squadron
Georgia Wing
· Cadet Col. Connor McEnroe Kazemi, Forsyth County Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Ju Hwan Bae, Barrow-Jackson Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Ann Marie Grammer, Northwest Georgia Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Isabella Rose Hunt, Ellijay Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Madelyn James, South Georgia Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Lucy Valentina Vogelbacher, Currahee Cadet Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Brandon Allan Bartlett, Griffin Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Justin A Lawson, Northwest Georgia Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Kendyl Nichole McBride, North Georgia Composite Squadron
Idaho Wing
· Cadet 1st Lt. Jacob William Leckie, Nampa Composite Squadron
Illinois Wing
· Cadet Capt. William Linas Robertson, Fox Valley Composite Squadron
Indiana Wing
· Cadet Maj. Alexander Idris Beaven, River City Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Jacob Christopher Moss, Ferrier Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Andrei Jason Wallstrom, Fort Wayne Composite Squadron
Iowa Wing
· Cadet Lt. Col. Timothy JianQian Ku, 41st Iowa Composite Squadron
Kansas Wing
· Cadet Maj. Savannah Jane Dorr, New Century Composite Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Luke Wakeman, Heartland Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Adriana Rose Dorr, New Century Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Josiah Christopher Hart, Air Capital Composite Squadron
Kentucky Wing
· Cadet Maj. Annabelle Grace Rushing, Elkhorn Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Jorrin Whiteley, Elkhorn Cadet Squadron
Louisiana Wing
· Cadet Capt. Mason Stephen Martin, St. Tammany Composite Squadron
Maryland Wing
· Cadet Capt. Ravi Thomas Zutshi, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Composite Squadron
Michigan Wing
· Cadet Maj. Cole Milton Blanken, Livingston Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Alexander John Nemecek, Maj. Kevin A. Adams Memorial Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Israel Michael Burgess, Grayling Cadet Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Austin James Jesse, Willow Run Composite Squadron
· Cadet Evan David Schultz
Minnesota Wing
· Cadet Capt. Isaac Samuel Nielsen, Fort Snelling Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Amaan Oliyath, Saint Paul Composite Squadron
Missouri Wing
· Cadet Lt. Col. Svetlana Anahit Ehlers, Platte Valley Composite Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Nathan Peter Olivea, Springfield Regional Composite Squadron
Mississippi Wing
· Cadet Capt. Grace Catherine Barton, Pine Belt Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Grace Alexandria Taylor, Madison Cadet Squadron
National Capital Wing
· Cadet Maj. Kaleb Lucas Kassa Abeye, Fairfax Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Joshua Stallworth, Andrews Composite Squadron
Nebraska Wing
· Cadet Capt. Jonathan Edward Dekleva, Lee Bird Composite Squadron
Nevada Wing
· Cadet 1st Lt. Landon Travis Rowley, Elko Composite Squadron
New Jersey Wing
· Cadet Capt. Aaron William Szumigala, Raritan Valley Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Nicholas Yagnik, Twin Pine Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Erin Marielle Feeney, Curtiss-Wright Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Michael Elliot Shayevich, Curtiss-Wright Composite Squadron
New Mexico Wing
· Cadet Maj. Aiden Douglas Jones, Albuquerque Heights Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Vrushti Rajesh Shethia, Albuquerque Heights Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Andrew Vanlandingham, Las Cruces Composite Squadron
New York Wing
· Cadet Lt. Col. Misty Jade Hall, Newark Composite Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Ethan Bailey Hillard, Col. Francis S. Gabreski Composite Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Trinity Jade Lannerd, Suffolk Cadet Squadron 10
· Cadet Maj. Benjamin Guy McGarvey, Rochester Composite Squadron
North Carolina Wing
· Cadet Lt. Col. Joshua Taylor, Elizabeth City Composite Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Jack Edmund Emaus, Hickory Composite Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Mason Willhoite Teague, Asheville Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Zedekiah James Banker, Fayetteville Composite Squadron
Ohio Wing
· Cadet Capt. Catherine Eve Gardner, Clermont County Composite Squadron
Oklahoma Wing
· Cadet Capt. Zaleigh Nicole Hornsey, Broken Arrow Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Devin Joseph Phillips, Edmond Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Nathaniel Ivan Coutiño, Edmond Composite Squadron
Oregon Wing
· Cadet Maj. Daniel Joel Vermillion, Washington County Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Matthew Stephen Blumhardt, Medford Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Yael Natanyah Jones, Grants Pass Composite Squadron
Pennsylvania Wing
· Cadet Capt. Matteo Giovanni D’Andrea, Doylestown Composite Squadron 907
Puerto Rico Wing
· Cadet Lt. Col. Saul Andino, Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Jeremia Israel Alvarez Declet, Col. Clara E. Livingston Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Jose Medero, Dr. Cesareo Rosa-Nieves Cadet Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Adrian Leocadio Cintron Rios, Ponce Cadet Squadron
South Carolina Wing
· Cadet 1st Lt. Sophia Elizabeth Hooper, Spartanburg Composite Squadron
South Dakota Wing
· Cadet Col. Keon Scot den Hoed, Sioux Falls Composite Squadron
· Cadet 2nd Lt. Clara Viola Giddings, Sioux Falls Composite Squadron
· Cadet 2nd Lt. Col. Grace Rose Ingebretsen, Sioux Falls Composite Squadron
Tennessee Wing
· Cadet Capt. Elijah Len Henkel, Smyrna Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Emily Jennifer Warthan, Oak Ridge Composite Squadron
Texas Wing
· Cadet Capt. Elizabeth Marie Barnes, Ellington Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Ellington Kate Marascio, Delta Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Autumn Brook Solomon, Lackland Cadet Squadron
Utah Wing
· Cadet 1st Lt. Micah Dale Rigby, Cadar Mustangs Composite Squadron
Virginia Wing
· Cadet Lt. Col. Anna Maria Stroz, Hampton Roads Composite Squadron
· Cadet Maj. Ellina Margaret Musatov, Tidewater Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Ronald Yucheng Zhang, Burke Composite Squadron
· Cadet 1st Lt. Owen Patrick Samuels, Hampton Roads Composite Squadron
Wisconsin Wing
· Cadet Maj. Kaeden Jac Saunders, Milwaukee Composite Squadron 5
· 1st Lt. Ryan Noelle Whitney, Milwaukee Composite Squadron 5
Wyoming Wing
· Cadet Maj. Mikah Elizabeth Shepard, Cheyenne Composite Squadron
· Cadet Capt. Sophie Aysel Fox, 492nd Emergency Services Composite Squadron
