AE News & Announcements

AE Membership

  • Join CAP as an Aerospace Education Member (AEM) and become eligible for free STEM Kits!

Did you know CAP provides the CAP STEM Kit Program nationwide CAP Unit Aerospace Education Officers and CAP Members who are educators, including AFJROTC Instructors?

    • Civil Air Patrol squadrons are joining with 6th grade Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) classrooms to provide aerospace/STEM support, student mentorship, and an introduction to CAP. Who? Any CAP squadron connecting with any 6th grade classroom teacher from a public or private accredited school, preferably with Title I students.

    • Why? To build relationships in the educational community that stimulate

    • interest in underrepresented students about aerospace-related STEM

    • subjects/careers and awareness of CAP and its youth programs.

                  • New Aerospace and STEM resource from CAP NHQ - AE: STEM Kit Program adds kit-specific lesson plans

                  • Civil Air Patrol is building lessons to accompany the STEM Kits featured in the program. As staff and volunteers develop these lesson plans, the plans are accessible in the Learning Management area of eServices. So far you can find lessons with AngLegs, Astronomy, Build and Learn Geometry, Code & Go Mouse, Flight Simulator, Hydraulic Engineering, Kano, Quadcopter, Raspberry Pi, RC Airplane, Ready-to-Fly Quadcopter, Renewable Energy, Robotics, Rocketry (pictured, above right), Snaptricity, Sphero/Mini Sphero and Weather Station. To access these plans, go to eServices > Learning Management > AXIS (at the top of the screen) > then choose Aviation, Space or Cyber.

K-6 Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) program registrations reopening on 1 September. The ACE Program is an aerospace-themed program for educators in grades K-6 who are CAP Aerospace Education Members (AEMs) or Senior Members in CAP who are educators. This program is designed for schools/teachers to implement during the school day; yet many programs are implemented in informal, structured after-school programs and in other organizations, such as Boy and Girl Scouts, 4-H clubs and other youth groups. ACE provides engaging and meaningful cross-curricular aerospace-themed lessons that support STEM initiatives and enrich the school curricula. Additionally, many lessons promote good character and physical fitness, which are components of CAP's Cadet Program.

  • Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX): Civil Air Patrol offers a popular program free to its members that brings hands-on aviation and space-related activities to cadets, students and senior members. It's called AEX, and the acronym stands for "Aerospace Education Excellence." The requirements: complete six aerospace hands-on activities and one two-hour or longer field experience. Registration is required for each year (Oct. 1 - Sept. 30) you choose to participate. To complete the program, register your lessons and field trip AEX Award Report

    • Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) flight -

    • US Air Force renewed funding for Teacher Orientation Program flight (TOP). Reminder that CAP Major General Mark Smith announced an update in the TOP orientation pilot requirements: "This mission is now covered by one of our FAA exemptions allowing private pilots to fly the missions; commercial pilots with a class 2 medical are no longer required. However, we require pilots desiring to fly these missions to be qualified cadet orientation pilots." (8 February 2019 Memorandum).

Notes to CAP Aerospace Education Officers:

In 2018, National AE staff team updated all AE pamphlets and regulations. Please refer to the new publications:

CAPR 50-1 and CAPP 50-1 revised the deadlines for the Aerospace Education reports.

AE deadlines: Commanders NEED to approve all submissions in eServices

  • Unit 2020 Aerospace Education Annual Activity Reports (unit 2020 AE AAR) by 30 October 2021

  • Group 2020 Aerospace Education Annual Activity Reports (group 2020 AE AAR) by 30 November 2021

Non mandatory:

  • Unit 2021 Aerospace Education Plan of Action (unit 2021 AE POA) by 30 November 2021

  • Group 2021 Aerospace Education Plan of Action (group 2021 AE POA) by 31 December 2021

If you made a mistake, email me as soon as possible. Above and Beyond section should list the AE activities your squadron has done during the year, also including in squadron activities as well as outreach, community events, school visits...

Best Practices:

  • Regularly log all your AE activities (in and out of the squadron, AE internal and external) in an online spreadsheet on the squadron's drive to facilitate your end of year reporting as well as prepare for SUI.

  • Record keeping for AEX activities are 1 October to 30 September. AEX award can be obtained once 6 AEX lessons and a 2 hour activity are completed and reported. Please keep a log and file your lessons and activities as soon as you have it finished not to lose information!

  • AEX lessons and activity need to be recorded by 30 September to qualify for the award.

    • Don't forget to file your STEM kit evaluations so that you can place a new request.

AE STEM Kits

  • Check out one of our STEM Kits!

  • List updated as of summer 2019

  1. AngLegs

  2. Astronomy

  3. Bee-Bot / Code & Go Mouse

  4. Build & Learn Geometry

  5. Cross Country Navigation

  6. Flight Simulator

  7. Hydraulic Engineering

  8. Kano

  9. Quadcopter

  10. Raspberry Pi

  11. Ready-to-fly Quads

  12. Remote-Controlled Aircraft

  13. Renewable Energy

  14. Robotics

  15. Rocketry

  16. Snaptricity

  17. Sphero Mini / Sphero SPRK+

  18. Weather Station

In August 2018, the Cadet Cyber Badge and Cadet STEM Badge were introduced. These new recognition programs will motivate cadets to participate in activities like CyberPatriot, robotics, astronomy, meteorology, drones / UAVs, flight simulators, and more.

For many years, the Civil Air Patrol has been having a Model Rocketry program with a badge associated with the students accomplishments. (https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/aerospace-education/programs/model-rocketry)

Cadet Cyber and STEM Badges are authorized for wear on the CAP cadet uniform, effective 1 October 2018. See Cadet Cyber & STEM Recognition Programs CAPP 60-41 for more information (https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/CAPP_6041_F9333F40340B7.pdf).

CAPR 39-1, CAP Uniform Regulations, has been updated as of 5 March 2020 and authorizes the display of these badges on cadets' Blues uniforms.

Both the Cadet STEM Badge and Cadet Cyber Badge use a modular format. Recipients obtain a single, basic badge, and affix the appropriate star to denote their level of achievement. A blue star indicates the Basic rating, a silver star indicates the Intermediate rating, and a gold star indicates the Advanced rating. As cadets earn ratings, they may remove the old star and install the new, while keeping the same basic badge.

To earn a Cadet STEM Badge with increasing rating, a cadet must accomplish the following:

Cadet STEM Badge

Progress in CAP Cadet Program

Aerospace Education Testing

Basic Rating

Intermediate Rating

Advanced Rating

Career Dossier

STEM log

STEM Classroom activities

C/SrA

Achievement 3

Col Mary Feik

Two modules in the Aerospace Dimensions series

Participate in at least 12 hours of eligible STEM activities. The 12 hours’ participation may be in a

single thematic area or multiple areas.

Provide the unit AEO with a log of these accomplishments.

Research and write about a STEM-related occupation (civilian, government, or military).

C/MSgt Achievement 5 Charles Lindbergh

Two additional modules in the Aerospace Dimensions series.

Participate in 12 additional hours of eligible STEM activities.

OR

Complete an additional 9 hours of eligible STEM activities as a student and complete 3 hours as a tutor or assistant instructor on STEM activities previously completed.

Provide the unit AEO with a log of these accomplishments.

Complete a 1- to 2-page dossier, this time on a different occupation, following the same

guidelines as used for the Basic Cadet STEM Badge.

C/2d Lt Complete Phase II

Brig Gen. Billy Mitchell Award

Successful comprehensive exam of Aerospace Dimensions.

Participate in 12 hours of eligible STEM activities, beyond what was completed for the previous badges.

OR

Complete an additional 6 hours of eligible STEM activities as a student and complete an additional 6 hours as a tutor or assistant instructor on STEM activities previously completed

As a community service, lead a group of non-cadet youth in any STEM-related hands-on activity of 30 minutes duration or longer.

Complete a 1- to 2-page dossier on yet another occupation, following the same guidelines as used for the Basic Cadet STEM Badge.

(Example of STEM log: https://www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com/STEMlog).

To earn a Cadet Cyber Badge with increasing rating, a cadet must accomplish the following (to be updated soon):

Cadet Cyber Badge

Progress in CAP Cadet Program

Basic Rating

Intermediate Rating

Advanced Rating

Career Dossier

CyberPatriot competition

&

CyberDefense Training

Classroom activities

C/Amn

Achievement 1

Maj Gen John Curry

Complete the activities from the CAP Introduction to Cyber Security Activity Guide. This involves classroom and hands-on activities comprising approximately 20 contact hours.

Participate in the CyberPatriot competition. This involves classroom and hands-on activities of approximately 20

contact hours.

Research and write about a cyber-related occupation (civilian, government, or military).

C/SSgt

Complete Phase I

Wright Brothers Award

Participate in the CyberPatriot competition, serving in a team leadership role. This involves classroom and hands-on activities of approximately 20 contact hours.

AND

Successfully complete the Cyber Defense Training Academy, Cyberspace Familiarization Course.

Complete another 1 to 2 page dossier, this time on a different occupation.

C/2d Lt

Complete Phase II

Brig Gen Billy Mitchell Award

Serve a minimum of 30 (cumulative) contact hours as a tutor, assistant coach, or instructor for a CyberPatriot team or during activities associated with a squadron’s completion of the CAP Introduction to Cyber Security Activity Guide.

OR

Complete the Cyber Defense Training Academy, Advanced Cyberspace Familiarization Course.

Complete a high school (or higher) course in computer science, information assurance, or cyber security.

OR

Obtain an industry-standard information security certification such as the CompTIA Security +, or (ISC)² SSCP - Systems Security Certified Practitioner.

Provide at least 10 hours of IT service to CAP or another organization by managing a website, local access

network, or unit help desk.

OR

Design an application, administer Moodle course ware or other learning management system, or complete a project of similar scope and complexity.

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Skagit Composite Squadron's Quad-Copter video

posted Apr 2, 2016, 1:46 PM by Jessica Jerwa

Skagit Composite Squadron, Quad-Copter Video