United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol

U. S. AIR FORCE AUXILIARY CIVIL AIR PATROL - In the late 1930s, more than 150,000 volunteers with a love for aviation argued for an organization to put their planes and flying skills to use in defense of their country.   As a result, the Civil Air Patrol was born one week prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.   Thousands of volunteer members answered America's call to national service and sacrifice by accepting and performing critical wartime missions.  Assigned to the War Department under the jurisdiction of the Army Air Corps, the contributions of Civil Air Patrol, including logging more than 500,000 flying hours, sinking two enemy submarines, and saving hundreds of crash victims during World War II, are well documented. 

After the war, a thankful nation understood that Civil Air Patrol could continue providing valuable services to both local and national agencies.  On July 1, 1946, President Harry Truman signed Public Law 476 incorporating Civil Air Patrol as a benevolent, nonprofit organization.  On May 26, 1948, Congress passed Public Law 557 permanently establishing Civil Air Patrol as the auxiliary of the new U.S. Air Force.  Three primary mission areas were set forth at that time: aerospace education, cadet programs, and emergency services.

As of 31 August 2016, CAP had 56,450 members—32,637 senior members and 23,813 cadets—in over 1,600 local units in all fifty states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and at numerous overseas United States Air Force installations.  CAP members are civilians and are not paid by the United States government for their service.  Rather, members are responsible for paying annual membership fees, and must pay for their own uniforms and other related expenses.

Senior membership is open to all U.S. citizens, and resident aliens aged 18 and over who are able to pass an FBI background check.  There is no upper age limit, nor membership restrictions for physical disabilities, due to the number of different tasks which members may be called on to perform. Cadet membership is open to those aged between 12 and 18 who maintain satisfactory progress in school, as determined by the cadet's unit commander; upon their 18th birthday, cadets may become senior members or remain in the Cadet Program until they are 21.

The Civil Air Patrol motto, to which all members ascribe, is "Semper Vigilans", Latin for "Always Vigilant".   All CAP members are also obligated by their service to the organization to abide by its core values: integrity, respect, excellence, and volunteer service.