Squadron Meeting, 1 November 2012

The meeting this week will be our monthly safety meeting and the topic will be "Winter Driving" presented by CAPT Alexander Smith. Afterward, we will need to discuss several important matters, principally finalizing the Squadron FY 2013 goals and addressing our meeting topics and planning for the anticipated SAREX we will be conducting with Squadron 40 in Fullerton.

On another subject, this past Sunday, the squadron participated in a recruiting effort with Squadron 153, Squadron 41, and other units at the annual Wheels, Wings, and Rotors exhibition and air show aboard Los Alamitos JFTB. The weather was flawless, the show was very entertaining, and the times were good. I personally was very proud of those in our unit who volunteered their time and effort to make this a successful recruiting foray.

Special thanks goes to 2LT Paul Koons and CAP Alexander Smith and the others who braved the cold and dark to set up the venue and man the tables. Please also join me in thanking MAJ David Walters, 1LT Bodo Rau, SM Frank Reinmiller, and CAPT Mike Cardenas for helping out as well. I am especially grateful for CAPT Valerie Gaucci and 2LT Dennis Gaucci for their assistance and support.

(..humbly beg your forgiveness if I neglected to mention you; it's this old age thing, you see. In any event, chastise me at the meeting and I'll treat you to a beer at the Ready Room.)

Anyway, do NOT fail to show this Thursday; we got some powerful work to do! 

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150

This Sunday: Wheels, Wings, and Rotors..

A reminder to all members that this Sunday we will be assisting with recruiting for the Wheels, Wings, and Rotors extravaganza aboard Los Alamitos JFTB this Sunday. (see flyer below)

IMPORTANT NOTE: CAPT Van de Brake, the Squadron 153 CC, calls your attention to the NEW arrival time of 0700 PDT -- per the flyer. We will need folks around that time to help with the set-up and initial recruiting effort. On a personal note from me,. wear your flight suits or BDUs or USAF uniforms if you like so that [potential recruiting prospects will get an idea of what Civil Air Patrol offers in this area.

Look forward to seeing you Sunday.

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150

Squadron Meeting, 25 October 2012

The meeting this week will feature a guest speaker, Ken Vellton, courtesy of 2LT Paul Koons. Ken will present a talk on "AIRLINES: FACTS AND MYTHS" and it promises to be an interesting evening.

So, see you there. (Actually, I have some family business to attend to so I'll see you next week.) Be good or CAPT Alexander Smith will tell on all of you!


Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150

Squadron Meeting, 18 October 2012

Ladies and gentlemen:

As advertised on our October calenday, we will be presenting a briefing on:

This will cover CAP, Wing, and our own finances exposing the details of an admittedly unromantic -- yet essential -- topic. Nonetheless, we will keep it short and painless so that any after-market discussion can be accommodated at our "Ready Room".

See you there!

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150

Ladies and gents:

The Great Comm Room Clean-up is now underway and our first order of business will be to see that as much of the detritus that now resides therein -- and which is not CAP property and on any tenant unit's ORMS -- be removed. To that end, we are sending out the following message on the "ALL" list on a regular basis asking those who own the stuff come and remove it:

Squadron 150 will begin a project to extensively re-model the Group 7 communications room.

If you have stored or donated non-CAP items (items not assigned to a unit in ORMS) in that room, we ask that you please remove them by 21, Oct. 2012.

In two weeks (22 Oct. 2012), if the items are not removed, we will be offering them to any who wishes to take them.

Note that the Group 7 room will be open and available during SQ 150's meeting hours -- 1800-2100 Thursdays and on Saturday, 13 October.
If you wish to make other arrangements, please contact Major William Phinizy (k6whp@socal.rr.com) or 2LT Marty Oh (martyoh18@gmail.com) for particulars.

Thank you.

Marty Oh, 2LT, CAP
Deputy Directory of Communications
Long Beach Senior Squadron 150

If the debris remains unclaimed, then we will be offering on a first-come-with-a-truck-first-haul-it-away basis. This program will wrap up on 31 October and the actual clean-up and remodeling effort will begin. Our stated goal is to turn the room into a communications room ONLY -- and no longer have it be a storage facility.

We are targeting several weekends in November for the actual work and will be soliciting volunteers for that effort. I am pretty sure we could get the unit to spring for pizzas and soft drinks for all who participate.

Marty
Marty Oh, 2LT, CAP
Deputy Directory of Communications
Long Beach Senior Squadron 150

National HQ: ACUT Fully phased over to ICUT

Per the California Wing Director of Communications and National Headquarters removed A-CUT entry from Operations Qualifications effective 1 October. Members who had not updated their existing A-CUT information before that date will no longer be able to do so. As such any member who does not currently have an A-CUT rating in Op’s Qual’s must complete the entire ICUT process (including skills sign off) in order to:

• Operate a CAP radio
• Apply for a CAP radio station license
• Meet any communications requirements for ES ratings

While the change in Ops Qual may have come sooner than expected, there is no recourse other than completing the ICUT curriculum. It should not take a member with current communications skills long to complete ICUT.

Please refer to previous messages to the ALL list and the current 100-1 for information on the ICUT process.

Questions can be addressed to: dc@cawg.cap.gov

John
John Frerichs, CAPT, CAP
Director of Communications
Squadron 150

More Shuttle Shots..

MAJ Dave Walters found a site that contains some spectacular video of the shuttle being ferried on it's last flight over Southern California. I was unable to link the video here directly, but if you will click on the link here, it will take you to the site where these are embedded.

Thanks to you too, Dave!

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150

Shuttle Shots..

Dennis Gaucci sends us some spectacular shots he took of the Space Shuttle when it flew over Disneyland the other day. Enjoy:

..thank you, Dennis!

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150

Squadron Meeting, 11 October 2012

Fellow Squadron Members:

We will meet this Thursday and discuss our progress to date as well as where we are going in the upcoming FY.

As you will recall, we enunciated the following goals:

•  Conduct one Group 7 or California Wing-oriented project per quarter.
•  Complete and improve Group 7 communications facility
•  Improve and enhance Group 7 computer systems
•  Providing timely air crew and mission base training for members
•  Put in place an effective education/mentoring program that address members’ needs

While we have not accomplished all of these goals as yet, they were originally scheduled as CALENDAR YEAR GOALS and I want to take us to a FISACAL YEAR schedule so we can get a head start on Group's request for our goals. And, yes, it's a neat accounting trick to give us more time. But I view our progress as a continuum and periodic re-evaluation will allow us to adjust our course and allow us make the objectives we originally set down more relevant with the passage of time.

I am a weasel, am I not?

Anyway, I would appreciate your reading our original goals document, burnishing those not already accomplished, and/or developing some ideas new ideals. I have discussed the new ideas with some members and, based on this, tt will be an interesting and informative evening.

A note of good news: Our Safety Officer, CAPT Dan Hoppy, has well mended and promises (threatens?) to re-appear. So then there's that!

NEW SUPER-HOT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
I have been advised by CAPT Jim Stallings, G7 ES guy, that the Saturday Night Fever SAREX being held at the Jackie Cochran Airport has had another 206 added to the fleet. Jim advises that you should jump on that like white on rice and Hoover up some right seat time.

Also -- ALSO! -- CAPT Stallings is going to present a session on the new CAPStar web-based mission software this Saturday morning from 0900 to 1200 PDT. It will be at the clubhouse (G7 HQ) and will be free to all who wish. That means no approval, no CAPF 17s. Just show and go!

SUPER HOT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES UPDATE: CAPT Stallings has added the following concerning the CAPStar Soiree at the G7 clubhouse:

All,

The CAPStar training will be held at Gp 7 HQ, 3976 Constitution Ave, Los Alamitos JFTB this weekend, Oct 13th starting at 9am. If you have a laptop with wireless capability, please bring it with you. We expect the session to take less than two hours. We have about 10 members that have signed up and we can handle another 10 fairly easily. Who should come? People on the Operations and Communications track will benefit the most.
Thanks,
Jim
We will cover:

• Mission
• Member checkin/checkout
• Review of status screen - indications, colors, selecting display modes, filtering data
• Review of communications updates
• Practice time for everyone
• Review, Q&A
• ..and get the heck out of there

*stayin' alive..stayin' alive..stayin' alive*

See you Thursday -- and Saturday!

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150

LBPD Presents ICS 300 and ICS 400 Classes

Per CAPT Paul Saba, the Long Beach Police Department will be presenting an ICS 300 and ICS 400 class in November. The fliers are below and may be downloaded here.

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150

State of California Wing, 2012

One of the outfalls of the California Wing Conference this past weekend was a presentation by Col. Stokes entitles "State of the Wing" herewith embedded:

(By the way, I had occasion to speak directly with Col. Stokes on a matter concerning -- ahem -- safety. He is an extraordinarily gracious person and, as our conversation, ranged beyond the initial topic, I found him engaging and interesting. I heartily recommend you take the opportunity to get to know him.)

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150

Squadron Meeting, 4 October 2012

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This coming Thursday we will have a safety presentation by SM Scott Neal on CPR. Scott is a certified EMT and will bring us up to speed on several CPR techniques. It is anticipated that SM Neal will build this presentation into a full-blown CPR program so that members of the squadron (and group) will be able to receive a qualified CPR certification if they need one.

Stay tuned.

I want to express my appreciation to the following members of our doughty little band who came to Ontario and made the 2012 CAWG Conference memorable:

CAPT Alexander Smith
CAPT John Hill
CAPT Dan Hoppy
1LT Jerry Civalleri
1LT Kevin King
SM Linda Abrams
1LT Dave Martin
SM Scott Neal
Airman Jim Grubb

Actually, that's a pretty impressive pilgrimage of membership and -- if you ask each of these folks -- you will find that they had a grand old time and are spoiling for more next year.

Care to join us? Guaranteed you will have a ball!

On the matter of the CAWG Conference, our beloved Group 7 did quite well, per Lt Col David Boehm's missive on the subject:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: CAWG Conference Wrap Up
Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2012 17:35:51 -0700
From: David Boehm
To: The Ganza Meshpoche

Group 7,

Congratulations to all the award winners from this year’s CAWG Conference in Ontario. Below is a list of all the Wing-level awards our members from Group 7 received yesterday at the conference.

o Maj Michael Hoover, Squadron 68 - Character Development Instructor of the Year

o Chaplain (Lt Col) Charles Ingram, Squadron 56 - Chaplain of the Year

o Capt Audrey DiGiantomasso, Squadron 47 - Public Affairs Officer of the Year

o “Squadron 144 News”, Squadron 144 - Newsletter of the Year

o Capt Tim Baskin, Squadron 68 - Safety Officer of the Year

o 1st Lt Dennis Bartlett, Squadron 57 - Communications Officer of the Year

o Major Jim Redmon, Squadron 87 - Pilot of the Year

o Major Mark Wong, Squadron 153 - Cadet Programs Officer of the Year

o C/2^nd Lt Wesley Chiu, Squadron 68 - Cadet NCO of the Year

o C/Col Michael Chung, Squadron 47 - Cadet Officer of the Year

o Fallbrook Senior Squadron 87 - Senior Squadron of the Year

o Saddleback Composite Squadron 68 - Composite Squadron of the Year

o LtColWillard Gordon, Squadron 87 - Senior Member of the Year, Lifetime Achievement

I want to make sure everyone understands this is a list of the WINNERS of California Wing awards for this year – THIRTEEN in total from Group 7! I honestly could not believe how many of our members won considering the stiff competition from the rest of the Wing this year. This list continues to prove that Group 7 has the most professional, hard working, dedicated CAP members in California Wing. Again, congratulations to all!!

Proudly,

David Boehm, LtCol, CAP
Commander,
Group 7

Let me add my warm congratulations to CAPT Crhis George and the and our brethren and sistren fown at Squadron 68 for their achievements.

Look forward to seeing you all on Thursday!

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150

September Promotions

Squadron 150 honored a number of its members with promotions this past meeting. Below are the promotees:

CAPT John Kokonas

1LT Giovanni Gomez

2LT Lance Boland

2LT Marin Toader and lovely bride

2LT Robert Hanks

Congratulations to all the newly promoted officers above and sincere thanks for your efforts on behalf of our squadron.

Bill
W. H. Phinizy, MAJ, CAP
Squadron Commander
Squadron 150