Malden, Missouri - On Monday Oct. 17, 2016 the 23rd Wing, Group 2, 151st Squadron (Bootheel Squadron) held a changing of command ceremony at the Malden Regional Airport. Lt Coln Carolyn Rice, Group 2 Commander, was on hand for the ceremony.
Major Tommy Sheppard has stepped down as squadron commander after being with the squadron since for the past 10 years.
Captain Jason Williams, formally the squadrons Health Service Officer, has assumed command and plans to continue with preparing the squadron to fill a vital role in Emergency Services in Southeast Missouri.
The squadrons next major training event will take place Saturday Oct. 29th with squadron becoming a qualified Community Emergency Response Team, CERT, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
"In the late 1930s, more than 150,000 volunteers with a love for aviation argued for an organization to put their planes and flying skills to use in defense of their country. As a result, the Civil Air Patrol was born one week prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Thousands of volunteer members answered America's call to national service and sacrifice by accepting and performing critical wartime missions. Assigned to the War Department under the jurisdiction of the Army Air Corps, the contributions of Civil Air Patrol, including logging more than 500,000 flying hours, sinking two enemy submarines, and saving hundreds of crash victims during World War II, are well documented."
"After the war, a thankful nation understood that Civil Air Patrol could continue providing valuable services to both local and national agencies. On July 1, 1946, President Harry Truman signed Public Law 476 incorporating Civil Air Patrol as a benevolent, nonprofit organization. On May 26, 1948, Congress passed Public Law 557 permanently establishing Civil Air Patrol as the auxiliary of the new U.S. Air Force. Three primary mission areas were set forth at that time: aerospace education, cadet programs, and emergency services."
The Bootheel Squadron meets on Monday evenings from 6:00-8:00 PM in the Cardinal Aviation Building located at the Malden Regional Airport.
All are welcome to come buy and check out the Civil Air Patrols activities and the squadron is always looking for new members, both senior members and cadets.
Shown in the photo from left to right. Capt. Williams, Major Sheppard, and Lt Coln Rice.
Provided photo.
