NEWSLETTER OF January Issue 2006 FIRE MOUNTAIN COMPOSITE SQUADRON 46086 WASHINGTON WING, CIVIL AIR PATROL

Published by Fire Mountain Sq., CAP PO Box 56 Chehalis, WA 98532 Editor: S/M Ruth Peterson

Commanders Call

Daniel A Whalen, 2nd Lt CAP DSCC knowledge your confidence will increase. This is going to help you to become a better leader in your family, church and school. Get ready for the upcoming months! We have a lot to learn together. A first aid class, Emergency Service basics and a radio operator class are all in the next 3 months. Remember we have a Motivation phase coming in the Spring Time and A Basic Marksmanship Encampment shortly after that! Talk to your friends now! Start recruiting for the next Motivation phase and Camp Curry. Study, Promote and become a leader! We need you and the Community needs US! Thank you for your service to the Civil Air Patrol!

We in the Fire Mountain Composite Squadron have a long history of service to our community (Over 23 years!). In order to have a group of Cadets ready to assist the local and state agencies in search and rescue we must have a steadily growing group of Cadets progressing into the NCO positions and SR NCO positions. We also must continue to promote Cadets into the leadership and Officer positions. As Cadets you must take the initiative to learn your Job and study for the upcoming tests. Get together in study groups and learn together. Be the one to step forward and promote as often as you can. Talk to your Flight Sergeant about how to get promoted. We are seeing a lot of improvement in our unit and I truly believe we can become the #1 squadron in the state! Your promotions and willingness to learn will help us to improve. As you grow in

Inside this issue:

Annual Awards Banquet 2 Being an NCO To your health January Birthdays Jan. Senior Training Websites of interest Dates to remember 3 3 3 4 4 4

Afterburner

David Peterson, C/1st Lt CAP Cadet Commander

Greetings to all and welcome to the new year! Let me begin with a few special thankyous. First, and most importantly, I thank you all for your decision to join Fire Mountain Squadron. Your participation and enthusiasm is what gives me the joy I have had serving as a proud member of your cadet staff. Thanks are also in order to all of the senior members, for their willing leadership and guidance. In an all-volunteer organization, their kind of selfless dedication is only found in a select few individuals. Another special thanks to the past commanders of our squadron, both the Squadron Commander and Cadet Commander. Their outstanding performance has prepared us for the times to come in the upcoming years. I will also use this opportunity to thank my staff. With the new year will come many changes, and only with the leadership of your cadet staff will we once again be the squadron that has led the way in past years. I have several goals in mind for my term as cadet commander. First, we will return to being a ground team squadron. In the next few months, with the help of our ES specialist, C/SMSgt. Shea, we will be qualifying enough ground team members to be of service in any mission presented to us. I also know that, in the quickly nearing future, your staff will be moving on - going to college, or maybe joining the armed forces, and it will be up to you all to assume command. I will consider it my duty and my privilege to help you, the cadets of today, become the leaders of tomorrow. I am looking forward to my time as your Cadet Commander; lets give 110% - All the Way! Make me proud, Hoorah!

Cadets! Please have your parent or guardian sign here to indicate that they have received and read the FIREBALL.
Parent Signature:

Cadets should bring a signed FIREBALL with them to the first drill after they receive it.

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Volume XXIV, Issue 1

Fire Mountains Annual Awards Banquet

4 December 2005

Fire Mountain Composite Squadron held its annual Awards banquet on December 4, 2005. After the presentation of colors by a cadet color guard, 2 new senior members and 18 new cadets were sworn in. There was also a cadet change of command ceremony with C/1st Lt. Toni Christen giving command to C/1st Lt. David Peterson. The first award presented was the Cadet of the Year. This award is voted on by all the cadets and seniors and is presented to the cadet that has worked hard and provided inspiration and leadership to all who work with him or her. This award was presented to C/1st Lt. David Peterson. Next were the two rising star awards that are given to the senior and cadet that have contributed the most during their first year. These awards were presented to SM 2nd Lt. Daniel Whalen and the cadet honored by this award was C/Amn. Jess Harris. The two righteous awards are given to the Cadet and Senior member whose uniform and

bearing are consistently outstanding. These awards were presented to SM 2nd Lt. Ron Wehnau, our Chaplain, and C/2nd Lt. Kyle Whalen. Fire Mountain has a motto we are very proud of. This motto is 110% all the way! The two Founders awards are given to the senior member and cadet who best exemplify this motto during the year. This years award was presented to SM Ruth Peterson and C/MSgt Jonathan Shea. The final award is the High Flight award chosen by the pilots. This years award was presented to C/2nd Lt. Lee Poor. Lt. Poor has not only been a great leader and example in our squadron, but he has been learning to fly and had his first solo flight just a few months ago Lewis County Sheriff Steve Mansfield and our Wing Commander Col. Ernestus Schnabler were our guests of honor. Sheriff Mansfield spoke to the cadets about the importance of leadership in family and community. Col. Schnabler talked about the opportunities for CAP to participate in Homeland security missions for America.

CIVIL AIR PATROL

Drug Free and Proud!

Cadet Promotions110%
C/1 Lt. Kuzma Kovzun was promoted to C/Captain and received the Earhart award. C/2nd Lt. David Peterson was promoted to C/1st Lt C/CMSgt Kyle Whalen was promoted to C/2nd Lt. and received the Mitchell award. C/MSgt Jonathan Shea was promoted to C/SMSgt C/TSgt Skyler Sorsby was promoted to C/MSgt C/SSgt Ashley Lobb was promoted to C/TSgt
st

Volume XXIV, Issue 1

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Are You Ready to be an NCO? By: C/2d Lt Kyle Whalen

right. Thats what makes being a an NCO so much fun. Its a new experience every time, new people, new jobs, its a rush that you cant find anywhere else. I myself had a lengthy and profitable career as an NCO and many of the things I learned during that time will stick with me through my entire life: skills like following orders, filling out paperwork, doing interviews, leading other people, writing out plans, getting physically fit and many more. Enjoy your time as an NCO, do as much as you can, do anything and everything you can. Being an NCO takes only as much as you have, and you will get out what you put in. If you have any questions on getting there, talk to your element leader, flight sgt, or myself we will all gladly help you accomplish this goal in any way we can.

Okay the role of the NCO is to get the job done, but in reality its so much more, because not only do you have to do the job, you have to find out what the job is, how to do the job and then make sure you did the job

Heres to your Health

by Lt. Laurie Christen

exercise, too. Clean your car, pull a few weeds. That little bit of sunshine and time alone will lift your spirits and regenerate you. The vitamin D in the sun is also a natural cancer fighter. Of course if you're out for extended periods, you'll want to use a sunscreen. What you eat or don't eat can affect us, also. Try cutting out of "junk" carbs, those found in processed foods made with white sugar and flour. Eating them triggers a rush a insulin, which in turn drops your blood sugar again. Try filling up on slow to digest carbs like those found in whole grains, legumes, high fiber vegetables and fruits. Green vegetables, like spinach and kale, are high in B-vitamin folate. A deficiency can lead to depression. I have been cooking more brown rice. I take to work with me for lunch, it fills me up and stays with me to help me thru my busy day. It can be kind of bland, but it's nothing some good salsa mixed in won't help. Yum, tomatoes. O.k. so, get some exercise, take some time for yourself, eat colorful fruits and vegetables. These are things most of us already know. I'm just here to remind you and get you motivated.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Thanksgiving with lots of family and friends around them. Since I'm writing this before Christmas for the January Fireball, like many others I'm trying to get it all together for the big day. I thought I'd just touch on a few things to ponder on for the new year to help keep you healthy and happy. Winter can be kind of gloomy and depressing, especially in Washington with all the rain, although lately we've had some beautifully cold and clear days. But you can bet the rains are a coming. To help beat those blues, when you get up in the morning, give your body a good stretch with some nice deep breaths. In the nose and out the nose. Fill those lungs all the way. Most people don't use but half their lung capacity. Dont stretch so far that you hurt yourself, but each day it will get easier. It will feel great. When the weather allows, get outside even if for 10-15 minutes. A lot of us are cooped up in building all day at work. Just get outside, walk around, throw the ball for the dog, he needs

Chaplains Corner

by Lt. Ron Wehnau

"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established." Romans 13:1a One of the hardest lessons that we can learn in life is to submit to the leadership of others. By nature we want to choose our own course, make our own decisions and take the credit when a job is done well. Submission means co-

operation, loyalty, and a willingness to obey. Submission to God is our most basic and sometimes our hardest responsibility. In our daily lives God places us in situations that test and teach us submission such as family, school, work, sports, government and dare I say. . . Civil Air Patrol! We can learn how to submit to God by submitting to those whom God has placed in authority over us. What grade would you give yourself for how you are doing in God's

class on submission?

Civil Air Patrol

Websites of interest for Cadets: National CAP Website
(Check out the National encampments! You must sign up for them by the end of Dec.)

SENIOR TRAINING SCHEDULE THURSDAYS IN JANUARY 6:30 pm YOUTH LODGE

http://www.cap.gov/
Washington CAP Website

http://www.wawg.cap.gov/
Capmart

http://www.capmart.org/
DATE Jan. 5
We are working on a squadron website that will allow cadets to find information about upcoming events, forms, and other information . Check us out at:

TOPIC Business Meeting: Pilots Meeting & AE Senior Training Command Team Planning

OIC Lt. Col. Mason Lt. Col. Mason Maj. Carmick Lt. Col. Mason

Jan. 12 Jan. 19 Jan. 26

http://www. firemountaincap.org

Important DatesAdd to your Calendar TODAY!

January 14 - All Day First Aid Class. As a ground team squadron, we need to have cadets proficient in first-aid skills. All cadets need to plan on attending. The Cost is $8 and you must bring your valid CAP card. The location is Centralia First Christian Church ,1215 West Main St, Centralia. Check-in is at 8:30. February 18 - All Day Radio Training Class (BCUT). This class is being held in Vancouver, WA, so the van will be used to transport. March 11 and 12 - Group 3 SAREX - Location and details to be announced. Standby for more info on the following: April 7, 8, and 9 - Spring Conference in Bellingham. June 9, 10, and 11 - The 50th Basic Marksmanship Encampment

PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for articles is on the 15th of the month. Schedules must be in by the 20th. Send to the editor at Grpete@centurytel.net The Fireball is an unofficial newsletter, published monthly in the interest of the members of Fire Mtn. Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol. Opinions expressed by the publishers and writers are their own, and are not to be considered official expressions of CAP or the Air Force. Advertisements in this publication do not constitute an endorsement by CAP or the Dept. of the Air Force of the products or services advertised.