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38 Cadets Representing U.S. On IACE Visits to Foreign Nations
Thirty-eight Civil Air Patrol cadets from 22 wings gather at their launching hubs Monday before leaving to represent the United States on an international exchange of goodwill and a mutual love of aviation.
Their travels around the world officially begin July 9 and will end on Aug. 1.
Since 1947, the International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE) has brought together outstanding youth leaders from multiple countries to promote global understanding, and to support the growth of aerospace knowledge around the globe. Today, IACE consists of 19 countries and exchanges over 300 cadets every year.
Of the more than 25,000 cadets in Civil Air Patrol’s 52 wings, only 38 will serve as U.S. ambassadors, making IACE the most competitive and sought-after of CAP’s National Cadet Special Activities.
“Only a select group of our cadets get this opportunity,” said Lt. Col. Peggy Myrick, CAP’s IACE activity director. “As chosen participants, they truly are serving as America’s youth ambassadors, representing the very best of CAP.”
The cadets’ journey begins over the weekend with the youth and their nine escorts flying to one of two launching hubs: one in Washington, D.C., for cadets flying to the eastern countries and Canada, the other in San Francisco for cadets flying to Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Israel and the Republic of Korea. Once in their host countries, cadets meet the participants from other countries in the exchange.
The IACE experience is memorable for the cadets as well as the senior members who accompany them.
“The interaction with the world’s aviation community is of great value to all involved,” said Myrick, who has participated in the program for the past 10 years. “I am always amazed at how well our cadets conduct themselves in their host countries and how much they learn about other cultures in just a short time.”
This year the U.S. will welcome 38 cadets from the Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom. Over their first three days stateside, these visiting cadets will tour Washington, D.C., and the Steven Udvar-Hazy Aerospace Museum before flying to their host states to learn about American culture and share their passion for aviation.
Follow the cadets' journeys through the U.S. on social media with #IACE2018USA.
Here are this year's CAP participants, listed by destination country and with senior member escorts first:
Australia
Colorado Wing
Headquarters
- Lt. Col. Jose Hernandez
Arizona Wing
Mohave Valley Composite Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. Katherine Hamiel
Indiana Wing
Headquarters
- Cadet Col. Jodie Gawthrop
New Jersey Wing
Bayshore Composite Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. John Gallagher
Virginia Wing
Lynchburg Composite Squadron
- Cadet Maj. Matthew Bell
Belgium
Virginia Wing
Monticello Composite Squadron
Cadet Col. Sarah Brewster
Prince William Composite Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. Julie Demyanovich
Canada
Southeast Region
Region Headquarters
- Lt. Col. Pedro Torres
Alaska Wing
Birchwood Composite Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. Claire Porter
California Wing
Beach Cities Cadet Squadron 107
- Cadet Maj. Harmont Grenier
Colorado Wing
Thompson Valley Composite Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Christopher Franklin
Maryland Wing
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Composite Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Meagan Collins
Ohio Wing
Cuyahoga County Cadet Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Daniel Anand
Oklahoma Wing
Edmond Composite Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Jacquelyn Harsha
Texas Wing
Lackland Cadet Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Analisa Rojas
Virginia Wing
Coastal Composite Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. Mary Black
West Richmond Cadet Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Andrew Neblett
Wisconsin Wing
Eau Claire Composite Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Annika Walukas
China
Virginia Wing
Leesburg Composite Squadron
- Lt. Col. Harry Harting
New York Wing
Mid-Eastern Group
- Cadet Col. Brian Williams
Pennsylvania Wing
Chester County Composite Squadron 108
- Cadet Capt. Akash Damle
Hong Kong
Wisconsin Wing
Fox Cities Composite Squadron
- Lt. Col. Robert Koehler
Minnesota Wing
Wing Headquarters
- Cadet Col. James Craig
Pennsylvania Wing
Golden Triangle Composite Squadron 603
- Cadet Lt. Col. Matthew Robinson
Israel
Tennessee Wing
Murfreesboro Composite Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. Jonah Torp-Pedersen
Texas Wing
Sheldon Cadet Squadron
- Maj. Jason McDonald
Lubbock Composite Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. Andrew Allison
Netherlands
California Wing
Los Angeles Cadet Squadron 138
- Lt. Col. Charles Wiest
Maryland Wing
Glenn L. Martin Composite Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. Wyatt Hartman
New Zealand
Southeast Region
Region Headquarters
- Col. Michael Murrell
Florida Wing
Wesley Chapel Cadet Squadron
- Cadet Col. Austen King
Illinois Wing
Palwaukee Composite Squadron
- Cadet Maj. Laivi Grossman
Republic of Korea
Pacific Region
Region Headquarters
- Col. Ned Lee
Texas Wing
Delta Composite Squadron
- Cadet Maj. Shaun Furter
Nighthawk Composite Squadron
- Cadet Maj. Jackson Reed
United Kingdom
Great Lakes Region
Region Headquarters
- Lt. Col. Paul Kloehn
Georgia Wing
Currahee Cadet Squadron
- Cadet Col. Michael Johannes
Illinois Wing
Springfield Composite Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Kallie Cox
Massachusetts Wing
Hanscom Composite Squadron
- Cadet Maj. Luke Pongratz
Michigan Wing
South Oakland Cadet Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Madeline Taylor
Willow Run Composite Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. Zachary Honiss
Van Dyke Cadet Squadron
- Cadet Maj. Alyxander Kasprzak
Minnesota Wing
St. Cloud Composite Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. Alexander Dvorak
New York Wing
Rochester Composite Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Josiah Lloyd
Rockland Cadet Squadron
- Cadet Lt. Col. Kyle Hammalian
Puerto Rico Wing
Muniz ANG Cadet Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Angelymar Sanchez
Virginia Wing
Prince William Composite Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Nathaniel Hatfield
Wisconsin Wing
153rd Madison Composite Squadron
- Cadet Capt. Ethan O'Rouke