Commander's Welcome
Welcome to the official website of the Martinsburg Composite Squadron. After many years of the organization not having any visibility on the web, we are pleased to see the new integration into social media and this website. This website along with our Facebook group page provide valuable information and updates on the squadron and its activities.
The Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and has one of the largest single-engine piston aircraft fleets in the world, operating 560 powered planes that fly over 100,000 hours annually in support of search and rescue, disaster relief, air defense, cadet orientation flights and other Air Force-assigned missions. CAP annually conducts 90 percent of all inland search and rescue missions in the continental U.S. as tasked by the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies.
The Martinsburg Composite Squadron is one of fourteen squadrons in West Virginia, located in the Eastern Panhandle of the state. Established in the early 1940's, this squadron is one of the oldest in the state and still operating efficiently. We were officially chartered by the Civil Air Patrol as Squadron 47020 on 9 February 1984. With a cadet and senior membership of nearly 90 total member force at our squadron, we are one the largest squadrons in the State. Our Cessna 182 aircraft is one of six in the West Virginia Wing.
Our members perform emergency services for state and local agencies as well as the federal government. As the civilian auxiliary of the Air Force, we support the Nation, as well as, our local communities with emergency response, diverse aviation and ground services, youth development, and promotion of air, space and cyber power. In 2018, we added Garmin VIRB technology to our Cessna 182 aircraft to help us with our Air Force assigned aerial photography missions. The VIRB is a wing mounted camera that allows us to take continuous and geo-tagged mosaics of photographs over specific targets. It is particularly useful in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) missions to assess damage from hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other natural or man-made disasters. Our Ground Team establishes onsite reconnaissance & search and rescue (SAR) operations in all types of terrains such as mountains, forests, fields and more. They also help find lost individuals, downed aircraft, assist in natural disasters, and provide extra support for state & federal operations in emergency management.
The Civil Air Patrol’s cadet program transforms youth into dynamic Americans and aerospace leaders through a curriculum that focuses on leadership, aerospace, fitness, and character. As our cadets participate in these four elements, they advance through a series of achievements, earning honors and increased responsibilities along the way. Many of the nation’s astronauts, pilots, engineers and scientists first explored their careers through CAP. We offer opportunities for cadets to experience orientation flights in CAP aircraft, earn their pilot’s license or learn to fly a non-powered glider and build lasting friendships and skills to use for their personal and professional lives. Creating leaders of tomorrow through excellence and a safe environment to explore interest and the future.
I welcome anyone with interests in aviation, emergency services and working with our cadet program to join us to start making a difference in our community and nation. Visit our Join Us and contact us page so we may help you experience the greatest program in our nation.
