Five Things You Need to Know About the L-W Civil Air Patrol Squadron

Aaron Angelini became involved with the Civil Air Patrol in an unusual fashion. Some of the high school students his mom taught recruited him in order to earn their recruitment ribbons.

Since then, Angelini has gone from cadet to commander of the Lincoln-Way Composite Squadron for the Civil Air Patrol, a squadron he helped build from the ground up starting in 2003.

"It's kinda like my Civil Air Patrol baby," he said.

Frankfort Patch talked to Angelini recently about the Civil Air Patrol, discussing what's involved, how someone can join and the best part of his job as commander.

1. What Is the Civil Air Patrol?

The Civil Air Patrol is an official, nonprofit auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force that focuses on three areas: emergency service, aerospace education and cadet programs.

"It's three different worlds tied into one," Angelini said, adding that all the members are volunteers.

2. What Does the Civil Air Patrol Do?

One of the primary activities for the Civil Air Patrol is to run search-and-rescue missions when the emergency locating transponders on airplanes go off. These aren't always crashes, Angelini said, adding that sometimes the transponders can go off because of a hard landing.

The Civil Air Patrol also helps out with natural disasters and other catastrophes. In the past, squadron members have shot video and helped sandbagged flooded areas along the Kankakee River; took aerial photos of a house explosion in Frankfort; and aided in the investigation of an airplane engine that fell on a residential neighborhood near Midway Airport, Angelini said.

Squadron members also go out to schools and the community to teach them about aerospace, using hands-on activities to get them interested aviation, Angelini said.

3. Who Can Join the Civil Air Patrol?

To be a cadet, a participant must be 12 to 19 years old. Angelini said the Civil Air Patrol can be a good introductory experience for young adults looking to serve in the military.

"I would strongly encourage anyone who is interested in the military to try this out," he said. "A lot of people think it's like Full Metal Jacket when they're in the boot camp, but it's not. We try to be a quasi-military group, but there are other parts of it, too."

Adults also are welcome to join, especially if they're interested in a different way to donate their time, Angelini said.

4. How Does the Experience Shape Cadets?

As commander of the Lincoln-Way chapter, Angelini runs his cadets through drills and teaches them self-discipline and management skills. He also emphasizes reactive leadership.

"Something comes up, you have to react to it," he said. "You're put in situations where you have to get around obstacles."

Watching these cadets mature is best part of being commander

"It feels really good," Angelini said. "We've sent a bunch of cadets on to the military and active reserves. We've had cadets come back from deployment. It's real satisfying to see them grow up. ... It feels really good to see them come back and say thanks for everything. I'm not here for me. If it wasn't for the cadets, I wouldn't be here."

Angelini also has watched these lessons bring out the best in young cadets.

"I've actually seen it first hand where a cadet is brought in, and they're brought in and they're really timid and shy," he said. "They go from real timid to where they're marching people around who are older than they are. They have a presence."

In fact, Angelini said he's seen the program have an effect on his own life and career. He credits his experiences with the Civil Air Patrol for helping him land his current job, and when he attended Indiana University as an undergraduate, he said he felt ahead of the curve in many of his classes thanks to what he had learned in the squadron.

"I found the harder I worked, the further I could go and the better I could be," Angelini said. "It's self-paced and self-motivated. You can go as far as you want if you put the time into it."

5. How Does Someone Join?

"The best way for someone looking to join is to come to a meeting to make sure they like it and get a taste of what we can offer them," Angelini said. "The program is not meant for everybody."

The Civil Air Patrol meets from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays in room 136 at .

"Come to three meetings, and we'll walk you through everything," he said. "It's not for everyone, but we'll put out best foot forward."

Learn more about the Lincoln-Way squadron for the Civil Air Patrol by going to its website or visiting the Facebook page.