CADRE CORNER

5 Jan 2021

What Does It Mean to be a Civil Air Patrol Cadet?

C/CCF J. Sethiadi

What does it mean to be a Civil Air Patrol cadet?

      After two years of being a Stalwart Cadet Squadron cadet, and eight months of quarantine, I have been able to come back and reflect on this question.

    If you had asked me this question two years ago, I would have replied firmly, “Learning aerospace, leadership, and volunteering in my community.” By this point in time last year, I had just marched in the blistering cold winds of the annual Veterans Day Parade and also became a cadet airman. Stalwart Cadet Squadron was an outlet for me to channel my passion for the military and aircraft with becoming a volunteer. Even today, nothing can replace the joy I felt in marching with my fellow New York City group cadets down Fifth Avenue, surrounded by proud supporters, veterans, and CAP cadet parents. Being a Stalwart cadet instilled in me the pride of being a youth leader on behalf of the United States Air Force — someone that other teenagers and younger kids could look up to.

    Watching the 2020 New York City Veterans’ Day Parade on Youtube, I’ve been able to revisit this memory with bittersweet happiness. Without any physical activities by CAP cadets, what is even the point of being a CAP cadet? How else are we supposed to carry out our training classes, practice drill, and do squadron PT? However, this apprehension disappears on Fridays at 5:15 as I hear each Stalwart cadet call out “Present!” in the Google Meets. I am invigorated by the sight and sound of cadets, smiling and ready to keep pushing forward through their Civil Air Patrol career. With online meetings, classes, and presentations, I am proud of how Stalwart has done an unbelievable job of translating our IS5 meetings into a virtual format and providing everyone with a sense of normalcy.

    So what does it mean now to be a Civil Air Patrol cadet? I believe now that being a CAP cadet equates to being human. Specifically, I have seen the best of humanity emerge from each and every Stalwart cadet as they remain committed to their work, while also checking in on all of their wingmen. We continue to learn and progress with our training, study the cadet curriculum, prepare for promotion exams and boards, while also balancing the duties of being present for one another. Our success as a CAP cadet is not determined by how many missions we attend, ranks we attain, or any other accolades. Rather, it is based on our willingness to grow as leaders, help others, and better ourselves.

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