Holm Center Commander To Address 500-plus CAP Members

More than 500 Civil Air Patrol members are heading for California's South Coast for the all-volunteer organization's 2010 Annual Conference and National Board. The 2010 conference is set for September 1-4 at the San Diego Marriott Marina.

"The conference is a celebration of our members for their service to America and their extraordinary achievements above and beyond the call of duty," said Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter, CAP's national commander. "I am looking forward to the chance of greeting each and every one in attendance, honoring them with much-deserved awards and participating alongside them in training seminars customized to fulfill their unique needs."
CAP volunteers participating in the conference will hear remarks from U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Teresa A.H. Djuric, keynote speaker for the conference banquet at 1900 September 4.

Djuric is commander of Air University's Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development at Maxwell AFB, and acts as a liaison providing assistance and oversight for Civil Air Patrol, in its role as the Air Force's auxiliary. CAP's 60,000 senior and cadet members operate a versatile fleet of 550 aircraft, perform emergency services, foster youth development through cadet program activities and provide aerospace education support for federal, state and local agencies.

Djuric is expected to talk about an administrative shift last year by Air University that realigned CAP and CAP-USAF, the liaison between CAP and the Air Force, under the Holm Center. The supervisory realignment has already proven to be effective, streamlining Air Force and CAP youth programs and allowing the 110,000 Junior Air Force ROTC cadets and 24,000 CAP cadets to now attend the same encampments, greatly expanding the programs for both groups.

The commander's son, Cadet Capt. Hayden Djuric, is a member of CAP's Maxwell Composite Squadron in Montgomery, AL.

Other conference highlights will include:

• Ten preconference courses September 1-2 and nearly 60 learning labs September 3-4. The seminars will target topics of interest such as chaplains, cadet programs, finance, disaster relief, homeland security, communications, safety, aerospace education and public affairs.
• A prayer breakfast from 0700-0800 September 3.
• An awards ceremony honoring exceptional CAP members from 0830-0945 September 4. Honorees will include the Cadet of the Year and Senior Member of the Year.

The California Wing, host of this year's conference, boasts nearly 3,500 members - 2,002 adult volunteers and 1,413 cadets - as well as a full fleet of CAP's signature red, white and blue single-engine Cessnas. In fiscal year 2009, the California Wing's 127 pilots flew more than 5,500 hours. With its 27 aircraft, the wing supported space shuttle landings at Edwards Air Force Base, assisted with wildfire suppression efforts and participated in counterdrug programs.

Each year, California Wing members also locate lost aircraft, find and turn off electronic locator beacons and save pilots in aircraft mishaps. In 2009, wing aircrews were credited by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndall AFB, FL, with 142 finds and 11 lives saved.

FMI: www.gocivilairpatrol.com