Vermont Wing - Civil Air Patrol

09/01/2026

✈️ Wings, Wheels & Community in Bennington! 🚗

It was a great day at Wm. H. Morse State Airport in Bennington as Avid Aviation hosted its first Wings and Wheels Fly-In, bringing together aviation, classic and specialty vehicles, and the local community.

Civil Air Patrol members were proud to be part of the event, hosting an open house, helping marshal arriving aircraft, and keeping visitors well fed — including some impressive Chinese barbecue prepared right at the airport by 1st Lt Charles Suss!

Mike Hoyt of LLQ Body and Frame organized the vehicle display, which featured a wide variety of cars representing many corners of the automotive world.

Events like this are a great opportunity for our squadrons to connect with their communities, share Civil Air Patrol’s missions, and introduce visitors of all ages to aviation and service.

A big thank you to Avid Aviation, LLC, the organizers, volunteers, CAP members and cadets, families, and everyone who came out to make the day a success. We hope this was only the first of many Wings and Wheels Fly-Ins in Bennington!

📸 Photos by Barbara Wilcox

09/01/2026

Please join us in congratulating our newest members and recognizing those who earned promotions and achievements during the month of August!

Your hard work, dedication, and commitment to Civil Air Patrol continue to strengthen our wing and inspire those around you. Whether you're just beginning your CAP journey or reaching another milestone along the way, we're proud of all you've accomplished.

Congratulations to each of you—we look forward to seeing what you achieve next!

👏 Help us celebrate by leaving your congratulations in the comments!

08/30/2026

U.S. Navy Leaders and Precision Drill Team Visit Local Civil Air Patrol Cadets During Burlington Navy Week

Champlain Composite Squadron hosted Rear Adm. Brett W. Mietus and Navy guests for a youth leadership event in South Burlington.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — The Civil Air Patrol Champlain Composite Squadron welcomed U.S. Navy leaders and the Navy Precision Drill Team on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, as part of Burlington Navy Week.

The visit gave local cadets a rare chance to meet Rear Adm. Brett W. Mietus, learn about Navy careers, watch a precision drill demonstration, and take part in a leadership conversation with senior military guests.

Featured guests: Rear Adm. Brett W. Mietus; Lt. Coral Johnson; LCDR Jill Brown, Navy Reserve Public Affairs Officer; Navy Precision Drill Team

Burlington Navy Week brings sailors and Navy leaders into the community through public events, school visits, service projects, and outreach programs. The Civil Air Patrol event will focus on leadership, service, aerospace education, and military customs and courtesies for youth members.

The evening included information from U.S. Naval Academy representatives and recruiters, cadet drill activities, a Navy Precision Drill Team demonstration, and a conversation with Rear Adm. Mietus about leadership, career paths, and service.

08/28/2026

🚀 Ever wondered what Civil Air Patrol actually does?

Maybe you’ve seen the uniforms. Maybe you’ve heard about cadets flying airplanes. Maybe someone told you CAP does search and rescue.

The answer? All of that — and a whole lot more. ✈️🧭🚀

Civil Air Patrol has just launched www.WhatIsCAP.org, a new website designed to show you what Civil Air Patrol is really about and the opportunities waiting for you.

If you’re a young person looking for something bigger than another after-school activity, CAP can give you opportunities to:

✈️ Fly in airplanes and learn about aviation
🚀 Build and launch rockets
🧭 Train in search & rescue and emergency services
🎖️ Develop real leadership skills
🏕️ Attend camps, academies, and special activities
🔬 Explore STEM, aerospace, and careers
🤝 Serve your community
🇺🇸 Challenge yourself alongside other motivated cadets
🎯 Build skills and experiences that prepare you for your future — wherever it takes you!

And CAP isn’t just for youth. Adults can serve too, using their skills or learning entirely new ones while supporting CAP’s missions and mentoring the next generation.

You don’t need experience. You don’t need to know how to fly. And you definitely don’t need to know what all those acronyms mean yet. 😉

You just need to be curious.

🌐 Start exploring at www.WhatIsCAP.org and discover where CAP could take you!

08/26/2026

🚀🧭 From model rockets to search and rescue — it was a full day of hands-on training for Vermont Wing cadets!

Capital Composite Squadron recently hosted a day of Aerospace Education and Emergency Services training at the Ethan Allen Firing Range.

The morning began with Capital Composite Squadron’s Model Rocketry launch, where cadets put their aerospace knowledge into action and watched their rockets take to the sky. 🚀 The launch even provided an unexpected opportunity to put Emergency Services skills to work early, as cadets used line search techniques to locate and recover rockets after landing — a practical example of how organized search methods can be applied in the field.

In the afternoon, members of Champlain Composite Squadron joined Capital for hands-on Ground Team Search and Rescue training led by SSG McGrail and SFC Keith.

Cadets had the opportunity to learn and practice skills used by CAP Ground Teams in the field, including outdoor survival, 24-hour pack inspections, pace counting, search techniques, emergency shelter construction, signaling, litter carries, and best practices for safely transporting an injured person. Cadets also learned the importance of assessing a situation, working together, and making effective use of the resources available to them in the field.

Rather than simply learning these skills in a classroom, cadets were able to get outside and practice them firsthand — building confidence, teamwork, problem-solving abilities, and skills that can be applied during future Emergency Services training and missions.

A special thank you to SSG McGrail and SFC Keith for sharing their time and expertise with our members, and to the Vermont National Guard and Ethan Allen Firing Range/CEATS for providing an outstanding location for the day’s activities.

Opportunities like these are made even better when our squadrons and community partners come together to provide Vermont’s cadets with meaningful, real-world learning experiences.

Aerospace Education. Emergency Services. Leadership. Teamwork. 🇺🇸

08/22/2026

Please note: Due to the weather forecast, Bennington Composite Squadron’s Open House and Fly-In has been postponed to Saturday, 29 August.

Looking for a fun day at the airport? Join the Bennington Composite Squadron on August 23 for their Open House, Fly-In, and Car Show! Meet Civil Air Patrol members, learn about our cadet and senior member programs, enjoy great food, and see what CAP is all about. We hope to see you there!

08/20/2026

CAP's National Cadet Advisory Council has new leadership across the board, with cadets from Maryland and New Jersey assuming the chair and vice chair roles, and two Florida Wing officers joining the senior advisor team, while a third continues to serve as assistant senior advisor!

Read more here:https://files.constantcontact.com/5e16f8eb701/dc39524a-5a96-4fec-93fe-91a2c75f1887.pdf

08/19/2026

From first flights to lifelong careers in aviation, inspiration often begins with a single look toward the sky.

This National Aviation Day, Civil Air Patrol celebrates the pilots, aircrews, educators, mentors, and cadets who keep the legacy of aviation moving forward.

Here's to chasing horizons, finding new perspectives, and taking to the skies. ✈️

08/18/2026

🇺🇸 Honoring History in Bennington!

Members of the Bennington Composite Squadron proudly marched in this year’s Battle Day Parade, joining the community in commemorating the historic Battle of Bennington.

The annual parade honors the Green Mountain Boys’ victory over British forces in 1777, a pivotal moment in the American Revolution and an important part of Vermont’s history.

Civil Air Patrol is proud to help carry that legacy of service forward by providing Vermont’s youth with opportunities to develop leadership, character, confidence, and a commitment to serving their communities.

We’re proud of our Bennington cadets and senior members for representing Civil Air Patrol and Vermont Wing! 🇺🇸

08/07/2026

✈️ Vermont Cadets Take to the Skies! ✈️

Beautiful summer weather means it’s a perfect time to FLY! ☀️

Civil Air Patrol cadets from squadrons across Vermont have been taking advantage of the clear skies and getting up in the air for their Orientation Flights. O-Flight Pilots Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Arensmeyer and Captain Thomas Ferranti have been busy giving cadets the opportunity to experience aviation from a whole new perspective — the pilot’s seat!

📸 Pictured are Cadet Airmen Shane Rogers and Veronika Mitrakova of the Rutland Composite Squadron and Cadet Technical Sergeant Ethan Boone of the Capital Composite Squadron enjoying their summer O-Flights.

One of the coolest opportunities CAP offers? Cadets can actually get behind the controls and fly an airplane starting at just 12 years old! 🤯✈️

CAP Orientation Flights introduce cadets to the fundamentals of aviation through hands-on experience with a qualified CAP pilot. For many cadets, it’s their first time at the controls — and sometimes the beginning of a lifelong passion for aviation.

Think about it - where else do you get an opportunity like that at 12 years old?! Find your local squadron today! https://vtwg.cap.gov/squadron-locations

Blue Skies + Vermont Summers + Airplanes = a pretty great way to spend the day. 👍