MORRIS COUNTY — On August 21, 2017, Curtiss Bailey, who recently enlisted in the United States Army Reserves, received a Wright Brothers Achievement Award from the Civil Air Patrol recognizing his leadership skills and accompanying his promotion to Cadet Second Lieutenant.
Bailey’s achievement marks a special milestone for the young man as it was the last activity for him as a member of the Picatinny Squadron of CAP before he departs for basic training as part of his Army Reserve commitment. CAP Cadet 2dLt Bailey, who will be Private Bailey in the Army, intends to study at Seton Hall University after basic training ends and will remain active in the reserves.
Private Bailey follows in the footsteps of his father, a West Point graduate, who recently retired as a Colonel in the United States Army recently assigned to the Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway.
The Picatinny Composite Squadron NJ-093 of the New Jersey Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, the nation’s official United States Air Force Auxiliary, celebrates 45 years of service this year. During the past 45 years the New Jersey Squadron has helped locate lost hikers, tracked down and recovered missing planes, ferried sick children for specialized hospital treatment, and trained hundreds of young men and women in military customs and courtesies, powered and glider flight, aerospace history and the basics of flight, emergency services, and search and rescue.
The national organization of Civil Air Patrol is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. CAP has 58,000 adult and youth members nationwide, and maintains more than 500 aircraft throughout the country. In 2014, Congress awarded CAP members who served during World War II with a Congressional Gold Medal recognizing their contributions towards the war effort stateside.
The Picatinny Composite Squadron is part of the CAP Northeast Region, New Jersey Wing. Its members are comprised of adults as well as teens from 13-17 from Morris, Warren and Sussex Counties. The group meets every Tuesday night from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
For more information click here or www.gocivilairpatrol.com.
