One of the biggest sectors in Civil Air Patrol’s (CAP) Cadet Programs is National Cadet Special Activities (NCSAs). They occur every year, and they are some of the best activities to get cadets more involved in CAP. Sergeant Briggs, a cadet from St. Croix Composite Squadron, went to the NCSA Hawk Mountain Ranger School in Pennsylvania. Cadets learn Emergency Services through a hands-on approach at this ranger school, traipsing through the woods in simulated missions and becoming Ground Team Certified. I had the privilege of interviewing Sergeant Briggs about his experience at the school. He signed up because emergency services has been a “career-long goal” since he joined CAP. Briggs wants to join the army after CAP, and events like these are the perfect thing to move toward that aspiration. His favorite part of the whole event was reaching the pinnacle of the mountain at 1610 feet of elevation. When he reached this point, he realized “no matter how hard it seems at the beginning, it’s never as hard as you think.” He said this event is “not for people who are looking for an easy event.” Rather, it is for people who are looking to push themselves to the next level of expertise. Briggs would definitely recommend this event to other cadets. In fact, he is already helping another cadet sign up for the next ranger school! Overall, it sounds like Sergeant Briggs had a great time at Hawk Mountain Ranger School.
-C/2dLt Menk