LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadets from across the United States participated in a week-long Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) immersion at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, Aug. 8 to Aug. 15, gaining a firsthand experience with pilot training and the career fields that support the 47th Flying Training Wing mission.
Throughout the week, cadets were introduced to the academics, training and traditions associated with UPT while providing opportunities to learn about military careers throughout the installation.
Cadets participated in hands-on activities, visited organizations across the base and spoke with Airmen about their roles in supporting Laughlin’s mission.
“We pretty much gave them a taste of UPT,” said 1st Lt. Liam Oakes, 434th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot. “We restructured it and treated it just like UPT for them.”
Before arriving at Laughlin, cadets received T-6A Texan II boldface emergency procedures and aircraft operational limits to study. During the week, they were tested on the material and learned concepts used by student pilots, including visual flight rules patterns and navigation.
Cadets were expected to reproduce the boldface material accurately within a set amount of time, providing them with an introduction to the academic standards and attention to detail required during pilot training.
Skylar Caldwell, CAP cadre, tracked the cadets’ academic performance throughout the week and said their understanding of those expectations matured as the immersion progressed.
“There’s a very clear improvement,” Caldwell said. “Ultimately, I think this class has done a really good job understanding the importance of retaining information and being able to apply the knowledge.”
Cadets applied what they learned during simulator training and received instruction from organizations involved in preparing and supporting Laughlin student pilots. The immersion included visits to Anderson Hall, where cadets learned about aerospace physiology, aircrew flight equipment and other components of the training mission. They also experienced incentive flights and attended a drop night, providing exposure to both the training requirements and traditions associated with UPT.
While aviation remained a central part of the week, organizers also introduced cadets to career fields throughout the installation that help support the pilot training mission. Cadets visited various squadrons around the base and spoke with enlisted Airmen and officers about their careers, experiences and paths to military service.
“Not all of them want to be pilots,” Oakes said. “So we’ve got to show them everything.”
The immersion also expanded cadets knowledge on units supporting the pilot training mission with a panel featuring Airmen from different career fields and backgrounds, providing information about enlisted service, commissioning programs and other opportunities available throughout the Air Force.
For Keegan Bowden, a cadet from Ohio and an enlisted firefighter with the Ohio Air National Guard, seeing organizations across Laughlin provided a broader understanding of how the installation works together to accomplish its mission.
“You get to see the entire Wing work, which is just honestly insane,” Bowden said. “A lot of times you just go see the pilots, or you just go see maintenance, or you just go see fire. You can see every single one of them work together.”
Ian Suarez, a cadet from Puerto Rico, said interacting with Laughlin Airmen throughout the week also demonstrated how many specialties contribute to pilot training.
“Getting to see all the behind the scenes of what pilot training is, I think it’s amazing,” Suarez said. “Pilot training is not only composed of pilots. There’s a lot of things that come together.”
Cadets arrived at Laughlin with different career interests and levels of interest in aviation. Suarez said becoming a pilot has been a goal since childhood and hopes to eventually become a test pilot, while Bowden said becoming a pilot is not necessarily a career goal.
“I don’t crazily want to be a pilot,” Bowden said. “It’s not something that I have to do. I’m a firefighter by trade, so I love doing fire.”
In addition to career exploration, the immersion incorporated leadership development throughout the week. Cadets were divided into two flights and assigned cadet leaders, giving participants opportunities to practice leadership, accountability and teamwork.
Civil Air Patrol’s cadet program is open to youth beginning at age 12, with cadets able to remain in the program until age 21. The program focuses on leadership, aerospace education, fitness and character development and offers activities related to aviation, emergency services and military career exploration.
The Laughlin immersion is part of Civil Air Patrol’s National Cadet Special Activities, which bring cadets together from across the country for specialized training and career exploration opportunities. Cadets apply to participate in the activities and may be required to meet age, grade or other qualifications depending on the program.
The activity concluded with a graduation ceremony Aug. 14, where cadets were recognized for completing the week and received awards based on their performance.
Col. Eric Bissonette, 47th Flying Training Wing commander, thanked the cadets and cadre for participating in the immersion and spoke about the importance of introducing young people to opportunities for military service.
“You, in this room, are the people that are going to replace us,” Bissonette said. “We see ourselves in you.”
Bissonette told the cadets the military needs people interested in serving in a variety of career fields and encouraged them to remain dedicated to service regardless of the path they pursue.
“We need people in the military who are passionate about what they do, dedicated to service and dedicated to something bigger than themselves,” Bissonette said.
Oakes said he hopes cadets leave Laughlin with a better understanding of military service while continuing to develop as leaders.
“I just want them to have a good experience,” Oakes said. “I want to inspire them to join the military and then build their leadership or officership, too.”