FACTS ABOUT CAP 


  "Since the founding of the Civil Air Patrol in 1941, its volunteer members have given selflessly of their time, skills, and energy to ensure the safety and security of all Americans. Your courageous service and sacrifice represent the American spirit at its best."
President Bill Clinton

Nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation

  • United States Air Force Auxiliary
  • Eight geographic regions consisting of 52 wings (each of the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia)

  • Almost 1,700 units nationwide (includes over 160 overseas squadrons)

  • Cap is the largest organization of its kind with over 60,000 volunteer members!

  • Requires more than 260 corporate staff to support membership.

  • CAP operates over 4,700 member aircrafts. Largest fleet (4,000 member owned and 530 corporate owned) of single engine, piston aircraft in the world. The CAP corporation owns the largest fleet of Cessna aircrafts in the world - over 500 of them!

  • CAP conducts over 85% of all inland search-and-rescue in the United States as tasked by the AFRCC. Every year CAP saves over 100 lives of pilots, passengers and lost hikers.

  • Volunteers CAP pilots fly in excess of 120,000 hours every year for Search, Rescue and Disaster Relief missions.

  • Transports time-sensitive medical materials, blood products and body tissue

  • Maintains a fleet of 950 emergency service vehicles for training and mission support.

  • Approximately 675 chaplains provide counseling and ministry to CAP cadets and senior members.

  • CAP has the largest communications network in the country with more than 6,000 fixed land stations and more than 10,000 land and airmobile radios operated by over 20,000 trained communicators. The CAP National Digital Radio Network (NDRN) consist of more than 2,000 computer stations to establish links as necessary and pass error-free message traffic throughout the system. This specialized system does not rely on telephone lines incase of natural or man-made disasters.

  • Assist Federal agencies in the "war-on-drugs". For every $1 spent on CAP's counter-drug missions, over $700 of illegal drugs are being prevented from ever entering the country.

    • Here are a few samples of agencies and their web sites:


  • Provides damage assessment, radiological monitoring, light transport, communications support, and low-altitude route surveys for the
    United States Air Force

  • Develops, publishes and distributes aerospace curriculum for grades
    kindergarten through college.

  • Scholarships available in several disciplines

  • Some 8% of the U.S. Air Force Academy graduates are CAP Cadets.
    CAP cadets who enlist in the Air Force are immediately promoted two pay grades