Civil Air Patrol Cadet Recognized for Excellence

CARMEL, N.Y. - Feb. 2, 2022 - PRLog -- Putnam County Composite Squadron Cadet Evan Regan received the General Ira C. Eaker Award this past December, the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program's second most prestigious award.

The Eaker Award marks completion of Phase IV of the CAP Cadet Program, recognizing sustained excellence in all four areas of cadet life: leadership, aerospace, fitness and character.

Regan joined CAP in October 2018 and has earned Community Service and Disaster Relief Ribbons. He graduated from CAP's Northeast Region Cadet Leadership School in January 2021 and received the VFW Outstanding Cadet Officer of the Year Award (2021). Regan is a qualified mission radio operator, earned the Cadet Pre-solo Pilot Award and serves as the cadet commander for NY033.

Regan promoted to the grade of cadet lieutenant colonel after earning the Eaker Award and is now challenged to lead and serve junior-ranking cadets not just in the Putnam County Squadron, but cadets throughout New York Wing as well.

General Ira C. Eaker was one of the forefathers of an independent Air Force. During WWII, Eaker rose to the grade of lieutenant general and commanded the Eighth Air Force, "The Mighty Eighth" force of strategic bombers.

The Putnam County Squadron is the recipient of multiple Quality Cadet Unit Awards and recently won State's 1st Place Award in the Platinum Tier in the XIV season of CyberPatriot – the Air Force Association's National Youth Cyber Defense Competition.

For information about the Putnam County Squadron, contact Major MacDermant at elenamac@aol.com, (845) 216-5433, or visit www.ny033.cap.gov.

Now celebrating its 80th year, Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and as such is a member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 560 single-engine Cessna aircraft and more than 2,100 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and performs about 90% of all search and rescue operations within the contiguous United States as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Often using innovative cellphone forensics and radar analysis software, CAP was credited by the AFRCC with saving 130 lives during the past fiscal year. CAP's 56,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. As a nonprofit organization, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace education using national academic standards-based STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education resources. Members also serve as mentors to more than 22,000 young people participating in CAP's Cadet Programs.

Visit www.CAP.NEWS or www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information.