W. Va. Wing Praised for World Scout Jamboree Role

Capt. Deborah Tysor
Public Affairs Officer
West Virginia Wing

Civil Air Patrol’s role in helping monitor the massive 24th Word Scout Jamboree drew praise from military officials from the Pentagon and West Virginia, as well as U.S. Sen. Mitchell Carmichael, R-W.Va., in their briefing during the annual event.

Col. Connie Moody, West Virginia Wing commander, described the session as “a very productive meeting for Civil Air Patrol.” The discussion included CAP’s role in the jamboree in Glen Jean, West Virginia, and in future events.

West Virginia Wing aircrews made over 40 flights and provided nearly 500 aerial photos and videos during the event, which ended Saturday.

Brig. Gen. Christopher S. Walker, West Virginia Air National Guard commander, shared CAP aircrews’ aerial photographs and mentioned the organization’s cost-effectiveness during events such as the jamboree. The annual two-week gathering drew 45,000 scouts and leaders from 169 national organizations to the Summit Bechtel Reserve.

Walker highlighted CAP’s role in enhancing the ability of the Joint Task Force for the event to respond to “emerging incidents” during the massive event as part of its Incident Awareness and Assessment plan.

Several officials in the meeting were amazed when Moody noted that CAP members are “all volunteers without pay.”

Some officials at the briefing were already familiar with CAP.

Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice, director of the Air National Guard, is a former CAP cadet. Rice and the principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, John A. Fedrigo, said they knew about CAP being integrated with 1st Air Force and its members acting as airmen when conducting Air Force-assigned missions.

After the briefing, the group proceeded to the Joint Command Post in Glen Jean, where they saw live video feed obtained through a CAP aircrew using the Domestic Operations Awareness and Assessment Response Tool. Officials were impressed by the real-time imagery and full-motion video used to provide timely and usable information during the World Scout Jamboree.