By John K. Reed Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — Consider this situation: An airplane has gone down and the pilot is injured. Due to his injuries, he is unable to call for help. Because of the hard landing, the emergency locator beacon in the airplane has been activated.
This is where the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) comes in. The Rescue Coordination Center will decide which unit is closest to the distress signal and ground units will be dispatched. Using their training and equipment, they will begin searching for the downed aircraft.
For a year and seven months, Plymouth has had a Civil Air Patrol squadron. The squadron is still new and is focused on cadet training. Meetings are held at the Plymouth Municipal Airport every Thursday night from 6:45 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.

At these meetings, cadets work up through the Air Force-style grading system, from the ranks of basic airman to cadet colonel.
According to Second Lieutenant Anthony Kunhs, the cadet program helps cadets to better themselves and become more useful to the community.
Commander Casey Flynn and his crew teach the cadets actual Air Force drills, personal and equipment safety, and basic common courtesies.
With the help of safety officer, First Lieutenant Barry Griswold, the cadets will learn how to be safe while on their missions. Cadets learn how to keep safe in cold weather, to treat injuries and how to stay alive in some of the harsh environments they may be forced to search through.
“Safety is number one in the Civil Air Patrol,” says Griswold.
“The Civil Air Patrol is something productive you can do with your time. You are helping people out, and it's nice to be part of something that is so close with the military. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a Marine,” says Cadet Donald Hathaway.
Being a member of CAP does not mean you have to enlist in the military.
“For those wishing to do so, we do have routes to all branches of the military,” said Flynn.
Flynn’s staff also consists of Cadet Commander Major Torgelson and Major Steve Towne.
“Without my staff, it would be hard to get a lot of the necessary things done. I have an A+ staff,” said Flynn.
Along with receiving training in Plymouth, cadets also have the opportunity to attend local and national cadet activities. Cadets may attend a one-week camp during the summer, known as “encampment.” There, they learn drill ceremonies along with physical training. They learn how to wear their uniform properly and are taught how to correctly teach other cadets.
Civil Air Patrol members have played a vital role in about 95 percent of all U.S. inland search and rescue missions. The first aircraft to fly over ground zero, after the Sept. 11 attacks was a CAP aircraft. They help the Indiana State Police search for illegal drugs and the Air Force specifically uses CAP aircraft as decoys to test fighter-response times, in an event that an aircraft should enter restricted airspace. Their crafts were responsible in helping the Department of Homeland Security photograph the recent flooding and passing along the information to FEMA.
One major problem the squadrons face is funding. CAP is a non-for-profit organization that relies heavily on donations by the community and unfortunately, the state of Indiana does not fund the Civil Air Patrol, Flynn said. The Air Force does help with the costs of actual missions, but almost everything else is the responsibility of the squadron. The squadron can apply for funding from the Air Force to help with special trips, but that isn't always guaranteed, according to Flynn.
People who would like to donate are encouraged to contact Flynn.
Anyone who is interested in becoming active with the Civil Air Patrol may also contact Flynn at 574-936-1707, or by email at, casey46504@ yahoo.com.
Information is available online at www.cap.gov.