March 18, 2014

Palwaukee Cadets (IL-049) Take 3rd in the CyberPatriot Competition.

CyberPatriot is the premiere national high school cyber defense competition created to inspire high school students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation’s future. The competition was conceived by the Air Force Association.

Palwaukee’s high school CyberPatriot team took 3rd place in IL State Competition. This was the first time that Palwaukee participated in the CyberPatriot program.

This event challenged our cadets with logic, patience, perseverance, teamwork and judgment. Participating meant the cadets had to commit additional hours in studying and training sessions when they would rather be home or with their friends. Our cadets showed responsibility and confidence under the stressful tournament 6 hours, especially when the internet would slow down and other problems manifested themselves beyond the control of the cadets or the contest organizers.

Outstanding work by our CyberPatriot team. We are all very proud of our cadets

Palwaukee CyberPatriot Teams Compete in State Competition

GOOD LUCK PALWAUKEE CYBERPATRIOTS !!!

Palwaukee Composite Squadron to host open house

 

 

OPEN HOUSE

TUESDAY OCTOBER 30

Signature flight support hanger 10

1071 Wolf Rd. Chicago Executive Airport

7pm to 9pm

Palwaukee Squadron Member discovers record Marijuana crop

Palwaukee Composite Squadron Member, 1^st Lieutenant Stan Kuprianczyk,( pictured above with PWK CAP Cadets ) in his civilian life is a Chicago police officer and a police helicopter pilot.  While on patrol he and his observer discovered 1,500 marijuana plants worth about $10 million growing on a chunk of land the size of two football fields in Chicago's far South Side.

Kuprianczyk had the right altitude, the right angle, the right sunlight, and his observer happened to be glancing down. They initially spotted five plants or so through the trees and Kuprianczyk circled around for a closer look.

In this case training relay paid off because just a few weeks earlier, Kuprianczyk had to fly over and videotape a smaller operation in suburban Chicago so they might be able to recognize marijuana if they ever saw it from the air again. By the time Kuprianczyk spotted the marijuana plants he had a pretty good idea what he was looking at.

This is the largest marijuana field ever discovered in Chicago.

Summited By 2d Lt Mike Siegel

Photo, Capt. Mike Grenz

Palwaukee Squadron has change of command

Tuesday the 31^st of July saw Major James Griggs hand over the reins of command to Major Robert Dempsey. Major Griggs, Palwaukee’s commander for the past 3 years, will become the new Deputy Commander of Group 22. Major Dempsey once a CAP Cadet himself brings with him 34 years of CAP experience. During the change of command ceremony Maj. Dempsey noted how proud he was as Deputy Commander of Cadets, taking the Squadron’s Cadet Program from 1 member to its current strength of 25. Maj. Griggs as commander has expanded the Squadron, its involvement with PWK and the community at large. He was always available to the members, and will do a great job at Group 22. Photos 2nd Lt. Greg Karris

Palwaukee Cadets Honor WW2 Veterans.

Palwaukee Composite Squadron's cadet Honor Guard welcomed home 100 WW2 veterans at Midway Airport in Chicago last week. The Veterans had spent the day in Washington DC, visiting the WW2 memorial built in their honor. The group responsible for the trip is Honor Flight Chicago. Honor Flight is a non-profit group of volunteers that organize around 10 flights each summer, sending our heroes on an all- expense paid trip to Washington DC for the day. The day includes stops at the WW2, Iwo Jima, Vietnam, and Korean War Memorial.... as well as a stop at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Palwaukee Composite Squadron members also help behind the scenes planning the flights and getting the vets boarded on their planes in the 'wee hours'.

 Palwaukee also has a hero of their own, Lt. Col. Willard Jeffries (pictured), himself a WW2 vet and POW. Col. Jeffries was honored with a flight last year, and was on hand for this flight along with our cadets for the welcome home.
 

Photos by 2nd Lt. Greg Karris

Chicago Police Helicopter visits Cadets

Thursday 14 June, Palwaukee cadets were enjoying a day of orientation flights at Chicago Executive Airport, when they got an unexpected thrill from PWK squadron member 2d Lt.Stan Kuprianczyk. Lt. Kuprianczyk a CPD officer and pilot, dropped in for a visit and to give the cadets a hands on tour of the helicopter.
Pictured from left to right are Lt. Kuprianczyk, C/Amn Antonio Duran, C/1st Lt. Mitchell DeMaeyer. Not pictured is C/Sr Amn Christina Zuley. Many thanks to Lt. Kuprianczyk and his crew.