By Major Joe Ely Carrales, CAP
Squadron Commander, Public Affairs Officer
Corpus Christi Comp Squadron
Kingsville, Texas— It was late in the evening on Monday, 7 May 2007 and this reporter/Squadron Commander was seated before his computer typing when an e-mail electronically made it’s way into his inbox. It was from his Deputy Commander, Major Fidel Alvarado, the Project Officer for the once postponed NAS Kingsville Simulator activity. The original activity, slated for 24 April 2007, was postponed by the US NAVY due to increased training demands.
“Treat is as a go!” Major Alvarado wrote, “as per conversation 1800 hours with ... we meet at the Wild Horse [Crossing] Mall parking lot no later than 1715 hours. TOMORROW, TUESDAY AFTERNOON. MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE PROMPT.” And so…
Nine CAP Officers and Cadets of the Corpus Christi Comp Squadron and its Brahma Cadet Flight attended T-45 Goshawk flight simulator at Naval Air Station Kingsville near the city of the same name on 8 May 2007. CAP Auxiliarists practiced jet flight, aviation and even a landing on a “Navy Flat top.”
For some, the activity was their first “hands-on” aviation activity; for other more experienced CAP Officers, it was a chance to try some “fancy flying.” CAP Officers 1st Lt Jerry Lunceford and SM (Brevet Captain) Kelly Harlan took turns approaching and landing on the simulated Aircraft Carrier. Major Fidel Alvarado also took a turn.
Aside from the SENOR MEMBER antics, the primary experience was for the cadets. Each got a good initial 15 to 20 minute round in the simulator for instruction, then they each got a second “free lance” round to either try the carrier landing, formation flying or (as Cadet Bedynek proved by requesting missiles) anything they could think of that was within the realm of aviation physics.
The person chiefly responsible for the activity and the one who operated the simulator apparatus was none other than friend of the unit, Mr. Bert Alvarez. This is the fifth time that Mr. Alvarez has opened this opportunity to CAP cadets. It is sometimes a precarious situation in that the US NAVY can cancel anytime, including at the 59th second of the 11th hour. The unit is careful to respect the needs of our Nation's Navy for the continued defense of our country; plus, the Navy has always come through for the activity.
“We can try this again in s few months,” said Mr. Alvarez, “and feel free to invite cadets from neighboring units.”
This round was not open to proximate CAP units due to the scheduling requirements of the US NAVY that would have produced late arrivals on a school night for cadets of more than an hou drive. It is hoped that a “summer session” can be planned to accommodate cadets from Corpus Christi, Victoria, Kingsville and Brownsville.
“We have opened the activity to all units of Group V/Texas Wing in the past,” said Major Joe Ely Carrales/ Squadron Commander, “the last such event was documented in THE CAP VOLUNTEER and WINGS OVER TEXAS last year. We had a good group from Brownsville attend then led by 1st Lt Hector Galvan.”
As a milestone of another sort, this was the second official outing for Brahma Cadet Flight of Kingsville, the first being a field trip to Nueces Co Airport in Robstown, Texas. Members of this flight in attendance were, Cadet Airman Bryce Nix, the flight’s ranking cadet, Cadet Airman Chelsie Skarda, Cadet Airman Basic Morgun Bedynek and Cadet Airman Basic Emily Garcia. They were joined by the Squadron's Cadet Commander, Cadet Technical Sergent Christopher Villarreal. Cadet 1st Class Phillip Lozano, Cadet Airman Michael Beal and Cadet Airman Basic Celeste Resendez were unable to attend due to other commitments.
Squadron Commander, Public Affairs Officer
Corpus Christi Comp Squadron
Kingsville, Texas— It was late in the evening on Monday, 7 May 2007 and this reporter/Squadron Commander was seated before his computer typing when an e-mail electronically made it’s way into his inbox. It was from his Deputy Commander, Major Fidel Alvarado, the Project Officer for the once postponed NAS Kingsville Simulator activity. The original activity, slated for 24 April 2007, was postponed by the US NAVY due to increased training demands.
“Treat is as a go!” Major Alvarado wrote, “as per conversation 1800 hours with ... we meet at the Wild Horse [Crossing] Mall parking lot no later than 1715 hours. TOMORROW, TUESDAY AFTERNOON. MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE PROMPT.” And so…
Nine CAP Officers and Cadets of the Corpus Christi Comp Squadron and its Brahma Cadet Flight attended T-45 Goshawk flight simulator at Naval Air Station Kingsville near the city of the same name on 8 May 2007. CAP Auxiliarists practiced jet flight, aviation and even a landing on a “Navy Flat top.”For some, the activity was their first “hands-on” aviation activity; for other more experienced CAP Officers, it was a chance to try some “fancy flying.” CAP Officers 1st Lt Jerry Lunceford and SM (Brevet Captain) Kelly Harlan took turns approaching and landing on the simulated Aircraft Carrier. Major Fidel Alvarado also took a turn.
Aside from the SENOR MEMBER antics, the primary experience was for the cadets. Each got a good initial 15 to 20 minute round in the simulator for instruction, then they each got a second “free lance” round to either try the carrier landing, formation flying or (as Cadet Bedynek proved by requesting missiles) anything they could think of that was within the realm of aviation physics.
The person chiefly responsible for the activity and the one who operated the simulator apparatus was none other than friend of the unit, Mr. Bert Alvarez. This is the fifth time that Mr. Alvarez has opened this opportunity to CAP cadets. It is sometimes a precarious situation in that the US NAVY can cancel anytime, including at the 59th second of the 11th hour. The unit is careful to respect the needs of our Nation's Navy for the continued defense of our country; plus, the Navy has always come through for the activity.
“We can try this again in s few months,” said Mr. Alvarez, “and feel free to invite cadets from neighboring units.”
This round was not open to proximate CAP units due to the scheduling requirements of the US NAVY that would have produced late arrivals on a school night for cadets of more than an hou drive. It is hoped that a “summer session” can be planned to accommodate cadets from Corpus Christi, Victoria, Kingsville and Brownsville.
“We have opened the activity to all units of Group V/Texas Wing in the past,” said Major Joe Ely Carrales/ Squadron Commander, “the last such event was documented in THE CAP VOLUNTEER and WINGS OVER TEXAS last year. We had a good group from Brownsville attend then led by 1st Lt Hector Galvan.”As a milestone of another sort, this was the second official outing for Brahma Cadet Flight of Kingsville, the first being a field trip to Nueces Co Airport in Robstown, Texas. Members of this flight in attendance were, Cadet Airman Bryce Nix, the flight’s ranking cadet, Cadet Airman Chelsie Skarda, Cadet Airman Basic Morgun Bedynek and Cadet Airman Basic Emily Garcia. They were joined by the Squadron's Cadet Commander, Cadet Technical Sergent Christopher Villarreal. Cadet 1st Class Phillip Lozano, Cadet Airman Michael Beal and Cadet Airman Basic Celeste Resendez were unable to attend due to other commitments.
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