Civil Air Patrol cadets, their Junior ROTC counterparts, and students interested in aviation gained a new appreciation for CAP’s storied early National Executive Board chaiman, U.S. Air Force Gen. Carl “Tooey” Spaatz, as special guests Dec. 12 for a presentation at the Spaatz museum in Boyerstown, Pennsylvania.
The Spaatz Association — past and present CAP members awarded the organization’s highest cadet award, named in Spaatz’s honor — organized the gathering at Gen. Carl Spaatz National U.S. Army Air Forces Museum for the first stop of a tour publicly displaying the association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, a large bust of the World War II legend.
The award, known as “The Tooey,” recognizes Spaatz award recipients whose noteworthy and remarkable service have brought honor and prestige nationally and internationally. Since the Spaatz award was first presented in 1964, those achieving it have included astronauts, generals, admirals, and acclaimed national or international leaders in their professions, fields, and communities.
The award was unveiled at the association’s winter gala March 2.
The Dec. 12 gathering at the museum in Spaatz’s hometown featured dinner and keynote speeches from representatives of the association and the museum, including a Spaatz re-enactor.
Those attending heard from:
Retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Keith Seiwell, founder and CEO of the museum, who discussed the concept for and development of the facility.
Chris Boswell, who portrayed Spaatz and spoke on the general’s life and career.
Maj. Julian “Cosmo” Gluck, 2018 Air Force Times Airman of the Year, who shared lessons on leadership he learned from his CAP cadet days to his experiences as a combat aviator and beyond, taking inspiration from his closing keynote speech at the 2020 CAP National Convention
Col. Joe Abegg, whose subject, careers in aviation, covered his experiences ranging from aerospace engineer to Air Force command pilot to United Airlines captain.
Abegg, Northeast Region chief of staff since Oct. 28, received the Spaatz award in September 1976.
Gluck, who received the Spaatz in July 2011, is Virginia Wing Group 2 cadet programs development officer.
Less than one-half of 1% of CAP cadets achieve the Spaatz. Doing so requires progressing through the 16 achievements in the CAP cadet program and then passing an exam that includes a comprehensive leadership test, an essay on moral leadership, a challenging aerospace test, and a demanding physical fitness test based on the U.S. Air Force Academy Candidate Fitness Assessment.
Spaatz served as the first chief of staff of the newly created U.S. Air Force after commanding the Army Air Forces, having previously commanded the Strategic Air Forces in Europe and then the Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific during World War II.
After retiring from the military, he served as chairman of the CAP National Board from August 1948-April 1959.
