Southeast Region Glider Academy Sees Record 10 Cadets Solo ... with a Song

Sixteen cadets experienced the thrill of unpowered flight above  Tullahoma, Tennessee, as they gathered July 12-20 for Civil Air Patrol’s Southeast Region Glider Flight Academy.

The first full day, July 13, was devoted to briefings and orientation. Under the guidance of Lt. Col. Ron Adams, activity director and Georgia Wing assistant director of operations, and 2nd Lt. Leo Benetti, certificated flight instructor and standardization/evaluation officer for the Tennessee Wing’s Tullahoma Composite Squadron, the cadets soaked up the aerodynamics of glider flight and safety protocols. Adult staff, meanwhile, inspected gliders and tow planes.

That afternoon, cadets practiced with glider flight simulators, eagerly anticipating the actual flights in the coming week.

July 14 brought the first real taste of flight. The cadets split into two groups, with one remaining in the classroom for further instruction and more simulator time while the other headed to the airfield for their first flights under their instructors.

In preparation for the academy, each cadet had submitted proof they had completed CAP’s training on working as part of a ground team to support the various needs of the flight operations.

Working in teams of two, cadets were assigned to a glider and a flight instructor. They switched roles between flights to ensure everyone had a turn both in the cockpit and as part of the ground crew.

Classroom sessions focused on stall recognition and recovery techniques, while hands-on training solidified the cadets’ understanding of piloting gliders. High temperatures and moderate winds provided a challenge, but the cadets responded as needed. They participated in frequent, shorter flights to hone their skills.

After two days of intermittent inclement weather, July 17 brought higher winds but clear skies, perfect for flying. The cadets focused on short flights, practicing takeoffs and landings.

July 18 turned out to be particularly significant for the oldest of the cadets, Cadet Lt. Col. Taran Fletcher of the Missouri Wing’s Table Rock Lake Composite Squadron.

Fletcher was attending his third Tullahoma academy without ever having had the chance for solo flight. Poor weather grounded the cadet  the first time and a case of COVID-19 required him to be sent home the next time around.

Three months short of turning 21, when he ages out of the cadet program, the third time proved the charm for Fletcher. His previous training accelerated his progress through the training flights, and he became the first 2024 cadet to accomplish his solo flight. 

With Fletcher leading the way, 10 cadets in all earned their solo wings, exceeding the previous record by one. 

Alabama WingCadet 1st Lt. Meira Groder, Redstone Composite Squadron

Cadet 1st Lt. Carson Hicks, Springville Cadet Squadron

Arkansas WingCadet Chief Master Sgt. Aiden Corrick, 115th Composite Squadron

Florida WingCadet 1st Lt. Vincent Keane, Tamiami Composite Squadron

Cadet 2nd Lt. Cameron Leischner, North Tampa-Lutz Cadet Squadron

Cadet Maj. Jackson Batton, Pensacola Cadet Squadron

Georgia WingCadet 2nd Lt. Karlond Wilson, DeKalb County Composite Squadron

Cadet Maj. Eli Bartlett, Griffin Composite Squadron

Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Kendall Este, Peachtree City Falcon Field Composite Squadron

Cadet Capt. Micah Sanders, Bartow-Etowah Cadet Squadron

Kentucky WingCadet 1st Lt. Thomas Ronkainen, Heartland Composite Squadron

Louisiana WingCadet Capt. Charles Fountain, Ascension Parish Composite Squadron

Cadet Maj. Brycelyn Hennager, Tangipahoa Cadet Squadron

Missouri WingCadet Chief Master Sgt. Kirk Quinlivan, Springfield Regional Composite Squadron

Cadet Lt. Col. Taran Fletcher, Table Rock Lake Composite Squadron

North Carolina WingCadet Senior Master Sgt. Caleb Myers, Fayetteville Composite Squadron

Southeast RegionLt. Cols. Shannon Brumfield,  Brett Slagle, and Al Van Lengen, and Maj. Candice Serafin   

Alabama Wing2nd Lt. Cassandra Groder, Redstone Composite Squadron

Georgia WingCol. Robert Mims, Wing Headquarters

Capt. Stacy Brown, Griffin Composite Squadron

Lt. Cols. Ron Adams, Thomas McBroom, and Dave Serafin, Peachtree City Falcon Field Composite Squadron  

Capt. Mary Martin, Savannah Composite Squadron

North Carolina WingLt. Col. Richard Netherby, Franklin County Composite Squadron

Tennessee WingLt. Col. Ralph Bard, Wing Headquarters

Maj. Gary Fiser, Group 2

Maj. Larry Stewart, Choo Choo Senior Squadron

 Lt. Col. Leo Benetti, 2nd Lt. Jere Matty, and Clark Knutson, Tullahoma Composite Squadron

Wisconsin WingLt. Col. Peter Boulanger, Fox Cities Composite Squadron _____Maj. Larry StewartPublic Information OfficerSoutheast Region Glider Academy

U.S. Air Force Maj. J.B. White has soared in rarefied air.

As an active-duty pilot, White flew some of the nation’s top-ranking officials, including the vice president of the U.S. on Air Force Two.

In the private sector, White serves as a first officer for the global shipping giant FedEx. Now an Air Force reservist, he works with Civil Air Patrol-U.S. Air Force (CAP-USAF) in an oversight role.

But those missions never inspired a song. A gaggle of aspiring Civil Air Patrol cadet glider pilots did.

White, a father of two, volunteered at this summer’s Southeast Region Glider Academy in Tullahoma, Tennessee, serving as a safety observer for the cadets. Watching those youngsters battle jitters to take to the sky inspired him to write a song, “Gliding Over Tullahoma.”

He missed the first two days of the academy with a stomach bug but spent the rest of the activity not only as a safety observer but also keeping the participants hydrated in the blistering heat and training them in launching and recovering the gliders, along with other duties.

“Seeing the excitement and fear of the unknown in the cadets’ eyes was really what made me pursue creating the song,” White said. “And watching their smiles and self-confidence when they climbed out of the glider is what this whole program is all about.”

While the young glider pilots sparked White’s creativity, he got an assist from artificial intelligence (AI). While gliders are a new interest, music and computers have been almost lifetime pursuits, sparked by his dad. White plays trumpet and piano and hopes to learn guitar. Musical influences for “Gliding Over Tullahoma” were piano blues, Southern rock, folk, and Americana.

As for AI, a skill he learned while stationed in the Middle East, its musical uses can be as simple — or as complex — as the songwriter wants.

“The more tailored a song, the more work and fine-tuning you need to do as a programmer,” White said. “I specifically wanted verses and a chorus that could ring true to what was actually happening at the glider academy — how the cadets were feeling, what it was like while airborne. So all of that took time creating the model to develop the verses.”

Adult volunteers like White make a difference at CAP cadet activities like the glider academy, said Lt. Col. Ron Adams, director of the Southeast Regional Glider Academy. CAP adult members and CAP-USAF reservists like White prove invaluable.

“Literally, the academy couldn’t happen without them,” Adams said. “The reservists are unique because they provide a different perspective on NCSA (National Cadet Special Activities) activities, and they provide extra manpower that doesn’t require CAP funding. That saved over $2,000 from the academy budget.”

Col. Tom Theis, North Central Region commander, who attended the academy, told National Headquarters’ Cadet Programs staff about “Gliders over Tullahoma.”

Theis gives the song rave reviews.

“For a member to put that much effort into producing a song with all the lyrics and instrumentation is deserving of recognition,” Theis said. “This was a rare gift that Maj. White felt motivated to inspire and share with our members.”

Cadets not only sparked a song. White plans to earn his glider endorsement on his pilot certificate. He encouraged aspiring glider pilots to follow those he saw in Tullahoma.

“Do it! If you are going to learn how to fly gliders, learn with CAP. From an outsider’s perspective and [as a] first-timer there, safety was and is always the No. 1 priority,” White said.

He added, “It was so cool watching those silent flying machines fly over you to coast in for a buttery landing. It will absolutely give you the next step or challenge you may or may not be looking for in life.”

And while White has participated in CAP cadet encampments and other NCSAs, the glider academy is his favorite. And with just over four years until retirement from the Air Force, a slice of each summer in those years is spoken for, he said.

“I want my next four summers to be in Tullahoma, watching over our nation’s best and brightest,” White said._____Paul SouthContributing Writer