Ohio Wing Commander's Welcome
Welcome to the Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol!
Welcome to THE Ohio Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). We are the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force in the Buckeye State. More than 1,000 Ohioans comprise our team of volunteers whose focus directly supports the three main missions of Cadet Programs, Emergency Services and Aerospace Education. Professionalism is our cornerstone as our officers and non-commissioned officers develop Ohio’s youth into future leaders to further serve our country and communities.
Following state and national emergencies, you will find our members flying to capture critical aerial images that are used by FEMA and other state agencies to direct support to the hardest hit areas. You will find our officers serving critical roles at incident command posts and cadets managing effective radio communications to better coordinate resources. When aircraft are missing, we are the prime agency responsible to the Air Force to search for those aircraft and crews. We also assist other state agencies, both in the air and on the ground, to help them perform their critical missions.
Ohio Wing pilots operate Cessna 172, Cessna 182 aircraft, and the Blaník L23 Super Glider. In addition to supporting the operational missions we are tasked with, Ohio Wing flies more than 1,000 orientation flights for CAP cadets, AFROTC cadets, and AFJROTC cadets annually. CAP cadets are afforded five front-seat powered orientation flights and unlimited backseat flights, as well as five glider flights.
Our cadet program is a successful and challenging program that gets today’s youth excited about possible careers in the aerospace industry. You will find former cadets serving as decorated military leaders while many explore careers in the science, technology and aviation industries. It molds young men and women into responsible, self-assured adults that know how to lead and instills in them the self-discipline necessary to make sound life choices. Throughout our 80-year history, the cadet program has produced many leaders in aerospace and the military.
No matter where you look, our team of professional volunteers is hard at work helping to make Ohio and our Nation a better place. We have 40 local units throughout the state. If you are interested in joining our team and making a real difference in your community, please contact us.
Semper Vigilans!
Peter Bowden, Col, CAP
Ohio Wing Commander
