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Two NC Wing CAP cadets attend Cadet Officer School

C/Maj James Barrow
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C/Maj James Barrow of the Apex Cadet Squadron. Photo credit: C/Capt Kyra Willis, Fayetteville Composite Squadron (click image to view full size)
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Cadets from 26 states in Alabama for college-level leadership training

7/17/2015––  It is one of the top professional developmental opportunities that are available to America’s youth.  In order to participate in it, you have to be a high-achieving Civil Air Patrol cadet.

 
It is called Cadet Officer School, which begins July 20 at Maxwell Air Force Base, the site of CAP National Headquarters and the home of Air University and professional military education for the U.S. Air Force.  That makes it the ideal venue to develop the leadership skills of CAP’s top cadets.
 
Two cadets from North Carolina will be attending Cadet Officer School.  They are C/Major James Barrow of the Apex Composite Squadron and C/Captain Kyra Willis of the Fayetteville Composite Squadron.
 
Participation in the Cadet Officer School, or COS, is a popular choice for CAP cadets from across the nation because of the rigorous academic curriculum and caliber of instruction that is offered by both Air Force and CAP officers.  Only the top 15 percent of all CAP cadets are accepted to attend the school.
 
This year there are 121 cadets from 36 states participating in this 10-day, college-level course.
 
“This is a premier leadership opportunity for our cadets,” said Lt. Col. Joe Winter, the activity’s director.  “The leadership skills they acquire here will lead them to exciting careers in both the military and the private sector.”
 
Patterned after the Air Force Squadron Officer College, COS is an academically challenging program that combines lectures, seminars and hands-on training designed to develop a cadet’s broader understanding of leadership as a discipline.  Throughout the week, cadets will be participating in a variety of lectures and supporting discussions to explore leadership topics.  The cadets will be practicing what they learn through a series of comprehensive writing and speaking assignments.  The school will culminate with graduation ceremonies on July 29.
 
“At COS, we are building our nation’s leaders of tomorrow,” said Winter.  “Our cadets gain confidence and experience as they develop their skills.  Through the rigorous curriculum and activities they enhance their ability to work with others, and when they leave COS, they are better prepared to serve as leaders in their units, schools and communities.”
 
Throughout its 73-year-old history, CAP’s cadet program has built strong citizens for the future by providing leadership training, technical education, scholarships and career education to young men and women ages 12 to 20.  Activities like Cadet Officer School give CAP cadets the opportunity’s to improve their skills in a variety of areas, including search and rescue, flight and emergency services, science, leadership fundamentals, citizenship and military courtesies, and to explore aerospace technology and aviation careers.  In 2014, more than 1,200 youth participated in CAP-sponsored summer activities.