9/28/2015–Burlington, NC–The Civil Air Patrol Middle East Region hosted the cadet competition on September 25-27, 2015 at Ft. Pickett in Blackstone, VA. MER Cadet Competition Director Lt Col Phyllis Griffin, CAP served as the Activity Director for the event. Nine teams from six wings in the Middle East Region competed in the first competition in the revised National Cadet Competition (NCC) format. Judges and staff worked hard to make the new competition a success.
Each of the eight teams consisted of six cadets of any rank and had to be accompanied by two senior member escorts. Each Wing in the MER was allowed to send two teams to the cadet competition. Two of the top teams in the Middle East Region move on to compete at the NCC, which will be held from Dec 29, 2015 to Jan 2, 2016 at Maxwell AFB, AL.
The core events at the MER Cadet Competition consisted of indoor posting of the colors, outdoor posting of the colors, team leadership problem solving, a written exam, Cadet physical fitness test and uniform inspection. The elective events for the competition consisted of public speaking, and cadet jeopardy.
The Color Guard Team from Raleigh-Wake (MER-NC-048) scored top honor by winning the 2015 MER Cadet Competition. The team was commanded by C/Maj Holden Browning. C/CMSgt William Smith, C/2 Lt Samuel Smith, C/2 Lt Max Matthews, C/CMSgt Zoe Vestal, and C/CMSgt Dylan Walker led the team to the first place overall victory with individual first place finishes in Outdoor Practical, the written test, and inspection. The team was escorted by 2 Lt Woody Browning and Lt Col Jay Langley.
The Fayetteville Composite Squadron was the second North Carolina team to attend the Middle East Region Cadet Competition. The team, referred to throughout the competition as "North Carolina Two", was commanded by C/MSgt Marc Garcia, who led the other squadron cadets: C/CMSgt Joseph Bruce, C/SSgt Prince Moody, C/SrA Dillon Lehman, C/SrA Caitlin Patterson, and C/Amn London Moody. The team was escorted by Lt Col William Ryan and Maj Pattric Patterson. Capt Travis Owens, SM Dylan Pugsley, and SM Twyla Moody also attended, as observers.
“North Carolina Two” won first place trophies in both the Cadet Physical Fitness Test and the Team Leadership Problem events, and came in fifth overall, out of eight teams. They also had the honor of posting the colors at the awards ceremony.
Congratulations also go out to "Virginia Two" the Coastal Squadron of the Virginia Wing (MER-VA-095) for advancing to the NCC in December 2015.