The activities of CAP are rigid and organized. As stated by Amie Sitter-Jones, a teacher at PVHS and one of the senior members of Pahrump’s Civil Air Patrol, “It’s a very structured atmosphere. Every moment is planned and every activity is planned. It’s very structured, much like the military”. She further states, “Once a meeting is scheduled, that’s pretty much what we stick to”. However, the content of these meetings can majorly differ. “One meeting a month will be all physical training, another will be focused on character development, another will be focused on aerospace, and all have a component of leadership”, says Mrs. Sitter-Jones. Additionally, she notes, “Most of the cadets that are in Civil Air Patrol are those that are interested in the military”; a viewpoint that is corroborated by many others in the group. Similar to their meetings, the manners shown in Civil Air Patrol are equally as arranged.
For example, PVHS senior and CAP member Gianni Alaya says, “I think the camaraderie is enjoyable”. Others, like PVHS senior Chloe Sitter-Jones, another PVHS student in Civil Air Patrol, mentions “I’m really able to connect with people that are like-minded like me that want to go into the career path that I want to go to”.
Along with those previously mentioned, other activities of CAP have the ability to help Pahrump’s community directly. Ayala brings up, “One of our missions in the program is Search and Rescue operations; I originally joined for that”. He also states, “I think the camaraderie is enjoyable”.
CAP is also incredibly cordial towards its members. As stated by Sitter-Jones, “[The general atmosphere of Civil Air Patrol] is very involving. We try to make sure that everyone has a place in it”. Her idea is expressed by plenty of other people in CAP, with Ayala stating: “I’d say [the general atmosphere of Civil Air Patrol] is accepting; everyone seems to be getting along with one another”. The kind of people that CAP has attracted are, as Ayala explains, “[…] passionate about their futures per se. They take themselves very seriously as well”. Agreed upon by others, Ayala additionally mentions, “They’re pretty humble, for the most part”.
In conclusion, Civil Air Patrol can be enjoyable to those who aspire to join the military. If you’re looking to get a taste of military life, you should try out Civil Air Patrol to see if it’s something you’re genuinely interested in. You can check them out online at GoCivilAirPatrol.com or reach out to any of our members.
