Learn/Serve/FlyTo the right is a brief introduction to the BEST program, as seen last year on WRCB's Local 3 Plus You. Our thanks to WRCB and Host Julie Edwards for the opportunity to share our invitation with the public.
Do you have an interest in flying in a small aircraft? Do you want to serve your nation and community? Are you ready some training, and then, an adventure? If you want to know more, please continue learning about the opportunity to fly with CAP. Read on and then complete the on-line application. |
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NEXT STEPS
Then, mark your calendar! There will be thirteen consecutive Thursday evening sessions:
During the sessions, you and your fellow recruits will work with our existing CAP leadership who will be leading you through the required curriculum. As a group, we will...
REQUIRED COSTS: There is no charge for the training, but you must be a CAP member and be in official CAP uniform in order to complete the training by riding in the back seat of a CAP aircraft for two separate mission sorties (flights). There are some minor costs associated with membership and uniforms. Here is an estimate of the costs you will incur:
OTHER COSTS: We are a volunteer organization, and we donate our time and some resources as part of our service. You will be responsible for your transportation costs to and from events including weekly squadron meetings held at the Chattanooga Airport, meals and personal expenses you might incur when attending SAREX events, and the purchase of other uniform items if you choose to purchase them. Most members find they will have two uniforms:
This blue polo shirt costs about $75, which includes embroidering your name and aircrew wings onto the shirt. We don't start you out with this shirt because
Your training will be provided by other volunteer members of CAP's Choo Choo Senior Squadron. Most of our meetings will be held at our usual squadron meeting location: Wilson Air West, 932 Jubilee Road, in the main office conference room. It is our intent that you attend all thirteen consecutive meetings in order to complete the training with your cohort members. We ask that you commit to attending all the meetings, so you don't get "out of sync" with the other trainees. However, we understand that sometimes, unplanned events or illnesses can occur. Should this happen, we will work with you, and either help you get caught up with the class, or we will catch you up in the following weeks so you can complete the training within a few weeks of the end of the twelve-week program. But if you already know you have scheduling conflicts during the 13 week program, we ask that you don't join this year, and re-apply next year. We plan on getting your classroom training completed during the thirteen weeks of classes. Then, in the following weeks, we want to get you airborne to complete the qualification process in one of two ways:
We must disclose the following items: First, we are dependent on U.S. Air Force funding for SAREX's and/or training mission flights. At this time, funding is available, and we anticipate it to remain available into the indefinite future. However, there have been times past when the U.S. Congress has held up financing for CAP, as part of the Congressional budgeting process, for weeks and sometimes months. We have no control over these events. We don't expect delays, but you have to understand that we have no control, and we can't promise what we can't control. Assuming we have authorized funds for flying, aviation is subject to having acceptable weather. We don't fly training missions in unsafe weather conditions, and any flight is subject to cancellation and/or postponement, due to weather, or other unplanned circumstances (such as illness of the pilot or an aircraft that needs unexpected repairs/maintenance.) We make plans, but we must be flexible too. QUALIFICATIONS: No prior experience or knowledge is required. This program is available to most adults, but there are some qualifications that we want to mention, so that if you think you won't qualify, you won't get your hopes up or feel like you wasted your time. Here are some of the requirements:
EXPECTATIONS: Clearly, this is an invitation to get trained and have the opportunity to work with an aircrew, fly in a CAP aircraft at CAP/U.S. Air Force expense, but it's much more than that. It's an opportunity to give your time and energy as a volunteer member of the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, the Civil Air Patrol, to put yourself at risk in order to potentially save lives, or to provide needed materials (such as digital photos) that may contribute to a disaster declaration or provide disaster relief. For most of us, and an opportunity to combine our desire to serve our community, with our interest in aviation, and a desire to learn new skills and help others. That means ongoing training to keep your newly developed skills sharp, to build on those skills to make yourself more effective, and to make yourself available to serve when the need arises. Most CAP members have careers and families, and we are not asking you to drop everything each time something happens. However, we do ask that you post a schedule of when you can and can't be available to serve. Many members can only serve certain days of the week, such as weekends. Other members can only serve if called after hours (due to work, family, or other schedules according to needs). We also expect you to regularly attend squadron meetings; to participate in squadron discussions, plans and projects; and to serve the squadron by accepting an appointment to at least one area of service. Squadron offices include:
For any of these positions, there are training materials and mentors to assist you until you become accustomed to the position. One way to get started is to accept a deputy officer position for an officer that is already in place, and you can assist and learn at the same time. How To Get Started... APPLICATION PROCESS: If you have read this info and can see yourself getting trained to serve as a volunteer member of Civil Air Patrol, becoming qualified to help save lives, and serving the community in times of need, then we invite you to apply to the B.E.S.T. Program, which we believe is the "Best Way to Fly". Please be aware that we would love to accept all qualified applicants, but we only have open eight seats in the training room and therefore must limit the trainees for this 2026 session to eight. If your application is acceptable, but the seats are already filled, you will be placed on a alternate/waiting list. We anticipate another B.E.S.T. training program, likely the following year (2027). APPLICATION STEP 1: The B.E.S.T. Program application is to be completed on-line and can be found at the link shown below. The application is best completed in one 10-15 minute session, on-line, using a desktop or laptop computer. Here's the link for the on-line application which will open if a separate window. When you complete the application, you should receive an email confirmation of the completed application. All applications will be reviewed, and all applications will receive a response, either by email or phone call from the Commandant within two weeks of submission. APPLICATION STEP 2: Once you submit your B.E.S.T. Program on-line application, the program Commandant (Lt Col Larry Stewart) will review your application. Within a couple of days, you will find out your status. You will be notified that your application:
APPLICATION STEP 3: If you are notified that your application is accepted, you will first be invited to attend one of our regular weekly meetings. This will give you a chance to meet us, and for us to meet you. We'll conduct some weekly business, and once we break out into training, one or more of the members of the membership committee will meet with you and get to know you a little bit. This will also give you a chance to ask more questions. As long as we both decide to move forward, you will be provided with a paper copy of the CAP membership application, a fingerprint card, and a set of instructions. You will be asked to bring these, along with a check or money order for your CAP membership dues to another meeting. At this meeting we will accept your documents and at a later time, we will FedEx all the applications to CAP headquarters, and you will be welcome to remain for the rest of the meeting if you choose to. QUESTIONS? - If you want more info about CAP in general, or the B.E.S.T. program, you have a couple of options:
On behalf of the members at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Senior Squadron, we want to thank you for your consideration of the program and hope to get the opportunity to work with you in the near future. Best Regards, Lt Col Larry Stewart, CAP Commandant, B.E.S.T. 2026 |
Photos of CAP Activities
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Civil Air PatrolLearn more about CAP at
www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com Volunteers Serving America’s Communities, Saving Lives, and Shaping Futures Memo to the Press and the Media: For interviews and/or more information about this program, please contact the Public Information Officer: Maj Larry Stewart, CAP (423) 596-3196 [email protected] Like us (our event) on Facebook 
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Established in 1941, 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 2,000 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 54,000 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. Members also serve as mentors to over 20,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs.
The Chattanooga Choo Choo Squadron is made up exclusively of senior members (age 18+). We meet twice monthly (except for the twelve week B.E.S.T. program). Our focus is on training and preparation for emergency services, primarily for aircrew participation, which involves mission pilots, mission scanners, mission observers, and airborne photographers. We also train to staff the crucial mission staff positions including incident commander, mission safety officer, public information officer, logistics officer, finance officer, air branch director, etc. You can find out more about when and where these and other Tennessee Wing squadrons meet at the wing website: tncap.us Webmaster for www.BestWayToFly.com : Maj Larry Stewart, CAP, Public Information Officer, Recruiting & Retention Officer for Choo Choo Senior Squadron, and Safety Officer for TN Group II. |
