Cadets get firsthand look at MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft during Civil Air Patrol Encampment

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An MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft operated by the 174th Attack Wing at Fort Drum.

STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SCOTIA, NY (07/26/2016)(readMedia)-- One hundred and sixty-five Civil Air Patrol cadets from New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Connecticut, ages 12-21, are at Stratton Air National Guard Base for a weeklong leadership encampment.

The encampment includes flights in various military aircraft, an aerial drone demonstration and the opportunity for the cadets to see an MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft operated by the 174th Attack Wing of the New York Air National Guard.

WHO: Along with 120 basic cadets, another 45 cadets are on hand acting in their roles as staff members.

WHAT: An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft will be showcased for cadets.

WHEN: Noon, Wednesday, July 27

WHERE: Stratton Air National Guard Base, 1 Air National Guard Rd., Scotia, N.Y.

Members of the media MUST contact TSgt Catharine Schmidt by calling (518) 344-2423 in order to gain access to the secure facility. Media are asked to arrive 15 minutes prior to event time.

Media Opportunity:

Media personnel are invited to view the MQ-9 Reaper showcase for the cadets and and will have the opportunity to talk to the cadets about the encampment.

Background:

The Civil Air Patrol is a nonprofit corporation and is also the auxiliary service of the Air Force. Civil Air Patrol volunteers conduct search and rescue missions, assist the Air Force as required, and assist in disaster relief missions.

The Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program allows young people -- ages 12 to 21-- to progress at their own pace through a 16-step program including aerospace education, leadership training, physical fitness and moral leadership. Cadets compete for academic scholarships to further their studies in fields such as engineering, science, aircraft mechanics, aerospace medicine, meteorology, as well as many others.

Those cadets who earn cadet officer status may enter the Air Force as an E3 (airman first class) rather than an E1 (airman basic).

Stratton Air National Guard Base is the home of the 109th Airlift Wing. The wing flies the largest ski-equipped aircraft in the world, the LC-130, and provides support to research in the Antarctic and in Greenland.