Alaska Wing
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AKWG 2023 CONFERENCE SAVE THE DATES 7 OCT!

Hispanic Heritage Month Event, Friday, September 29⋅10:00am – 2:00pm, JBER Arctic Warrior Event Center

CadetINVEST Scholarship Applications Open 1 October until 30 December, Cadets apply for scholarships to fund their flight training and attend NCSA's!

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2022 NCSAs

(updated 12 Mar 2023)

3/11/23 Alaska Wing NCSA Update email:

To AKWG Cadets who applied for NCSAs/NFAs (and parents & DCCs):

(NCSA=National Cadet Special Activity. NFA=National Flight Academy--I'll just refer to all of them as NCSAs)

Based on what I'm seeing in some Facebook groups, parents around the country are very anxious about their cadets' acceptance (slotting) or waitlisting (alternate status) for NCSAs.

Please bear with National Cadet Programs as they work through the process.  The computer program that usually starts the first huge slotting labor broke down this year.  That's bad  because it's taking longer and people are having to do a lot of it by hand. 

It's also good because they are taking this opportunity to improve some of the process, software, and reports.

This process does keep improving each year!

As the process improves, more and more cadets around the country are becoming aware of NCSAs and applying for them.  There is more competition.  However, if you have not been slotted yet, do not despair.

In a nutshell, my understanding of the process is...

(1) national slots cadets in a first round starting with cadets with the highest number of points and working their way down until as many cadets as possible are slotted for one NCSA 

(2) in the meantime, cadets may be told they are alternates

(3) as cadets slotted cadets accept their position in one NCSA, any other NCSAs they applied for that overlap days are removed from their applications, so alternates move up in priority

(4) when slotted cadets miss their downpayment deadline (3/31, I believe), they lose their slotting, and alternates get slotted

(5) as slotted cadets turn down their positions for various reasons over the course of time (up to 1 week before the activity starts), some alternates get slotted, sometimes just a week before the activity starts! (it's nice for others if you withdraw from any NCSA as soon as you know you're not going to attend)

(6) some NCSAs add more student slots if they see a ton of other cadets are still listed as alternates for their activity and if they're able to

(7) some NCSAs (especially cadet staff positions) wait as long as practicable to slot *any* cadets so those cadets have a better opportunity of getting selected as *students* for one of their other choices

(8) in some rare cases, cadets slotted for one activity get slotted for an additional activity as well.  Generally, though, national wants as *many* cadets as possible to be able to share in the experience of an NCSA.

So basically, someone listed as an alternate could get chosen (slotted) for an activity as close as a week before the activity starts.  I do not know how cadets *not* shown as alternates might become alternates or might end up getting slotted.  I suppose it's a possibility.

I hope this helps with any anxiety you are having regarding  NCSAs. And I hope it helps a bit with your summer plans or your incentive to stay patient and flexible.

Other cool CAP summer activities: As I hear of other wings (states) looking for cadets to staff their encampments, I will list them here: https://akwg.cap.gov/encampment/outsidecadre

References:

V/r,

Capt Karen L Padgett, Alaska Wing Director of Cadet Programs

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NHQ Link to National Cadet Special Activity (NCSA)/National Flight Academy (NFA) Information: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/cadets/activities/national-cadet-special-activities

JANUARY 2023 APPLICATION FOR GREEN LIGHTS

Cadets whose eServices NCSA/NFA applications were "on-time" (submitted by 15 Jan 2023 and not changed since then) are eligible to apply for Green Lights for NCSAs & NFAs until 2000 hr (8pm) on Wednesday 25 Jan 2023. Eligible cadets received a one-time email on 17 Jan 2023 from karen.padgett@akwg.cap.gov with detailed instructions. 

DECEMBER 2022 APPLICATIONS for SUMMER 2023 ACTIVITIES

on 1 Dec 2022, registration for NCSAs opened.  The 15Dec22 update of NCSAs that have been published so far is shown below.  Several NCSAs have not yet been scheduled.  Note that the 2023 AKWG Summer Encampment staff dates are 8-18 June 2023.

Featured NCSAs for AKWG Cadets include Hawk Mountain Ranger School, and staffing the National Cadet Competition.

SUMMER 2022

ALASKA WING CADET PROGRAMS NEWSLETTER ARTICLE 7 Aug 2022

This summer, cadets have scattered throughout the US, attending various National Cadet Special Activities (NCSAs) and staffing encampments!

National Cadet Special Activities (NCSAs) Featured Participants

More than 20 Alaska Wing cadets have attended NCSAs this summer. Some have already returned! Read their stories below, and refer to the Kodiak Composite Squadron article to read about Kodiak cadets’ experience at the National Cadet Competition! 

Eight AKWG Cadets & a Senior Member attend Hawk Mountain Ranger School (HMRS)

Eight cadets from 5 different AKWG squadrons attended the 2022 Hawk Mountain Ranger School NCSA, and Col Brian “Irish” Porter returned to instruct the Aircrew Survival Class.

Located in Kempton, Pennsylvania, Hawk Mountain Ranger School is the longest-running Search & Rescue School in the nation.  For over 65 years, HMRS has provided high-quality wilderness SAR training to cadets and seniors throughout the country.

C/2d Lt Reagan Benedicts says, “My favorite part of HMRS was the FTX, or Field Training Exercise. I enjoyed the intense physical training and the harsh conditions. We were able to use skills learned before the FTX in the classroom and practice them in a real-world situation. I learned many useful skills I hope to bring back to my squadron. I would highly recommend this activity and plan on returning next year.”

C/TSgt Grania Wegemer says, “My favorite part of my experience at Hawk Mountain was the FTX (field training exercise), where we got to hike up the mountain and really experience what a true SAR mission would be like. What I got out of Hawk was a once-in-a-lifetime experience where I got to truly understand what makes a motivated team. What I recommend to any cadets or Senior Members interested in attending Hawk Mountain is fully prepare yourself for the journey ahead; it will be challenging but one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.”

Other cadets who attended include Cadets Keena Bennett, Sigge Mellerstig, Michael Porter, Paul Smoot, Josiah Wise, and Logan Wong from Fairbanks, Lake Hood, Polaris, Birchwood, and Valdez Squadrons.

C/2d Lt Benedict (right) & Cadet Paul Smoot (center) sporting the signature orange gear at Hawk Mountain Ranger School