GREENVILLE (WTAQ-WLUK) – EAA AirVenture has kept the skies around area busy this week.
As planes fly in and out of Appleton International Airport, there’s an extra set of eyes helping Air Traffic Control.
“Basically when an aircraft crashes down or gets lost, or somebody goes missing, we get deployed and get the necessary information,” said Joseph Aschenbrehner.
‘Fox Cities Composite Squadron-Civil Air Patrol’ is a non-profit organization, and a part of the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary.
Fourteen-year-old Aschenbrehner, has been in the air patrol’s cadet program for just over a year.
“My goal is to become an air force medic, maybe even a sergeant for the air force,” explained Aschenbrehner.
It’s not just search and rescue that the group specializes in.
The program performs a variety of missions, including disaster relief operations, aerospace education.
“The air force allows us to wear similar type uniforms, that’s what you see the cadets in,” said Mark Gajewski, Caption with the air patrol. “We do a cadet program that’s their uniform. They do summer type camp activities, and they learn to drill discipline, they learn leadership. A hands-on example of leadership.”
Gajewski says the year-round program, brings volunteers from all across the area.
Our cadets come from all over the state. Some of them are tied to the school system most of them are adults from the local community,” he told FOX 11.
With dreams of becoming a sergeant, Aschenbrehner says the program has given him the confidence that he has what it takes.
“That fact that, I’ve done all of this is huge,” he said.
The Fox Cities Civil Air Patrol has served the Fox Valley for 40 years.
