EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE: The Civil Air Patrol

OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — Volunteers are critical when a disaster hits and here in the Cape Fear, there is always a chance of mother nature causing damage. WWAY’S Daniel Seamans caught up with some extraordinary people who use their military experience to help from the skies above.

Major Martin Heller spent a large part of his life in the Air Force. He still flies those skies, too.

“Many people look for ways to give back to the community and this is my way,” Major Heller told Daniel Seamans. “The people you work with are all volunteers and there is a sense of purpose that we are doing good.”

Major Heller now uses his experience in the Air Force as a volunteer in the Civil Air Patrol, or CAP.

“Before an event,” Major Heller said, “FEMA may have us go out and shoot some photos and then after the event, like a hurricane or flooding, we’ll go out and shoot some photos. Not one day, but several days to show the progression, is the water rising, dam breaking?”

They give perspective from the skies above, like these aerials of a recent flooding in Kinston. A crew of three takes to the air made up of
a pilot and two photographers who also take notes and work the radio.

“To be a mission pilot, you need to learn the search patterns and techniques that Civil Air Patrol has for whether you’re shooting aerial photography, or searching for someone on the ground or locator on the ground,” Major Heller said.

And that’s just one of the Civil Air Patrols missions. They have a few, including the Cadet Program to inspire our youth.  The volunteers say 14 months ago they had 6 cadets. Now they have 25.
Enrollment has sky-rocketed!

“We do leadership and aerospace education,” Major Kathy Nicholas said. “Our cadets get to fly 5 orientation flights in a powered aircraft and 5 in a glider. They get their hands on controls so it excites them about aviation.”

Graduates even get a head start if they enlist in the Air Force after school.

Major Heller says the government is using the CAP more and more these days.
“There are dozens of missions that they realized, hey, we have dozens of volunteers that are professionals doing this for us and they go home to sleep in beds at night, so there is no per diem cost,” he said.

Major Heller, you and all the volunteers with the Civil Air Patrol give us critical information in a time of need and inspire our youth to explore, more. It’s part of the many reasons you(all) are Extraordinary!

If you’d like to learn more about the Civil Air Patrol, maybe become a volunteer with them, contact Major Kathy Nicholas, Squadron Commander, at knicholas@southporttravel.com or 757-639-7893.

The Civil Air Patrol Brunswick County Composite Squadron meets the first four Tuesdays of the month at 6:30 pm. Adults and youth at least 12 years of age are encouraged to join.

Major Nicholas can also give you information about the Cape Fear Composite Squadron in Wilmington.
You can find all kinds of information on the Civil Air Patrol by clicking here.
Brunswick County’s squadron also has more information posted on their website here.