Civil Air Patrol: A Case of the Government Doing Something Right?

On a daily basis, we hear about our government wasting money on programs that either don't work or are unneeded, the Civil Air Patrol is a bright spot that actually uses what small amount of federal funding it receives for good uses that benefit Americans all over the country.

The Civil Air Patrol was founded on December 1, 1941, just 6 days before the Japanese attack on the Pearl Harbor. This attacked killed 2,350 Americans, injured 1,178, and resulted in the sinking of the USS Arizona. During WWII, Civil Air Patrol (CAP) served many different missions including Coastal Patrol and Warfare, Border Patrol and Courier service. During its Coastal Patrol it spotted nearly 200 German U-Boats and sunk 2.

Civil Air Patrol became a permanent peacetime institution on when President Harry S. Truman signed public law 476 on July 1, 1946, establishing it as a federally chartered benevolent corporation. On May 26, 1948, Congress passed Public Law 557 establishing CAP as the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force. It was chartered with 3 separate and distinct missions, Emergency Services, Aerospace Education and Cadet Programs.

As a non-profit 501-c.3 corporation, Civil Air Patrol has, according to their website has approximately 57,000 members throughout the United States. These members are volunteers who come from all walks of life. They donate their time supporting the 3 missions of CAP.

The Missions

Emergency Services - CAP Provides Emergency Services in several forms. CAP is responsible for approximately 90% of inland search and rescue mission handled by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. They also provide resources to other Federal, State and Local government agencies and volunteer agencies such as the American Red Cross in accordance with Memorandum of Understanding's (MOU). During 2008, more than 2,500 search and rescue missions were assigned to CAP by the Air Force, resulting in 91 lives saved. Using its fleet of 550 corporate owned aircraft, and countless member owned aircraft used by CAP, over 4,000 flight hours and 40,000 were spent on these missions at an average cost to taxpayers of just $130 per flight hour. This amount compares with the average cost of $1,600 to $6,800 per flight hour of other Air Force aircraft. Civil Air Patrol also maintains a nationwide communications capability of approximately 20,000 trained communicators and a VHF and HF communications network that is state of the art and interoperable. CAP provided 250 counter-drug flights in support of Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies. They provide nearly 4,000 ground search and rescue volunteers and found nearly 1,800 Emergency Location Transmitters that were transmitting a false distress signal.

Aerospace Education - CAP provides Aerospace Education assets to teachers and schools around the country as well as their Senior Members and Cadets. They have published their own text book that is used by schools and universities around the country. By providing this asset, they continue to foster a love of aviation and respect for the history of aviation in the United States.

Cadet Program - Civil Air Patrol maintains a Cadet Program for children ages 12 to 21. This program is where the Civil Air Patrol really shines. Their 21,000 cadets are provided with an unbelievable opportunity to expand their horizons in many different ways. They are provided with Leadership Training, First Aid and CPR training, Search and Rescue training, Flight Orientation Programs, Drug Demand Reduction Education which educates cadets on Anti-Drug, Anti-Tobacco and Anti- Alcohol issues. Encampments which allow the cadets to learn about Citizenship, Aerospace Education, Military Customs and Courtesy and Team Work. There are also scholarships available to CAP Cadets that totaled $200,000 in 2008. Nearly 10% of the United States Air Force Academy Cadets were former CAP Cadets. There are also 2 Air Force Thunderbirds who are former CAP Cadets and several NASA Astronauts, including Air Force Col. Eric Boe who flew on Endeavor in November, 2008.

What is the cost of all these different programs? The federal government supplied CAP with $35,008,055 in federal funding in 2008, and state governments provided another $3,912,455 in state tax dollars. The rest of the operating expenses for CAP were from private donations, membership dues and fund raisers that are conducted at the individual squadron level. Just under $40 million dollars in public funds to operate a group that provides so many valueable assets to our country. In this day and age of waste and misuse of our tax dollars, its a relief to see that some of the money we pay in taxes each year are being put to a good use.

Sources:

Civil Air Patrol Website - http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com
Civil Air Patrol 2008 Report to Congress
Wikipedia - http://www.wikipedia.com
United States Air Force - http://www.af.gov