Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Cadet 2nd Lt Levi Swan was recently presented with the Billy Mitchell Award by U.S. Senator Susan Collins. The General Billy Mitchell Award is earned by completing the first eight achievements of the cadet program. In addition, the cadet must pass an arduous 100-question examination, testing leadership theory and aerospace topics.
Contributed photo
Cadet 2nd Lt. Levi Swan, center, was recently presented the General Billy Mitchell Award by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. Swan is the Cadet Commander for the Civilian Air Patrol 33rd squadron in Caribou. The award is given to a cadet who has completed the first eight achievements of the cadet program. Participating in the award presentation was Major Richard Saucier of Caribou.
Since its inception over 30 years ago, over 42,000 cadets have earned this honor. Swan is the Cadet Commander for the Civilian Air Patrol 33rd Squadron based in Caribou. Sen. Collins presented C/Lt Swan with a U.S. flag which had flown over the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., in honor of his achievement. Major Richard Saucier was on hand to assist with the award presentation. CAP, the official Auxiliary of the U.S Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with more that 56,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 103 lives in fiscal year 2007.
CAP volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the nearly 22,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 66 years.
For more information for to www.gocivilairpatrol.com or contact 1st Lt. Ray Burby at 492-1615 or at rayburby@gmail.com.
