Tuskegee Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol (U. S. Air Force Auxiliary)

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 58,000 members nationwide. In its Air Force Auxiliary role, CAP performs about 85 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions. Its unpaid professionals also perform homeland security, disaster relief, and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state, and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 24,000 young people currently participating in CAP's Cadet Program. Visit www.capvolunteernow.com for more information.

The Tuskegee Composite Squadron is the only Civil Air Patrol squadron located inside the District of Columbia. The squadron is largely dedicated to the implementation of the CAP Cadet Program, which encourages young people between the ages of 12 and 20 to develop leadership skills, meet physical and intellectual challenges, and serve their communities. At the same time, the squadron encourages adult members to use their volunteerism as a springboard to personal and professional development.