July - August 2004 From the Commander

As I reflect over this years events and activities, I have come to realize what a privilege and honor it has been to serve as your squadron commander. Our accomplishments this year were outstanding: We had over 60 activities, two cadets earned their Mitchell Award, one cadet earned his Earhart Award and was accepted to the Air Force Academy, several cadets attended and staffed Basic Cadet Schools, Airman Training Schools, Non-Commissioned Officers Schools, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers Academy, and Encampment. We even had two cadets attend National Activities. We offered over $1200 in scholarships for cadets to attend activities and set up a uniform assistance program. We had fun together, worked hard together and celebrated together. I want to thank all of your patience through the upgrade and air-conditioning installation. Some of you even jumped in to paint and clean the squadron. We are very thankful to the Marine Corps for allowing us to their facility, our Squadron 138 home. As the new school year begins, I advice all of you to work hard, manage your time well, organize your life and motivate yourself to do the best possible. The staff has worked hard to bring another challenging and exciting year to the members of Squadron 138. Remember cadets what you put in is what you get out. Finally, I want to thank the Squadron 138 family; all the officers, cadets and parents for all their assistance and participation. You continue to make Squadron 138 Reach for the Stars. Remember: go out and do your best and always return with honor.

Class of 2008
In late July, Cadet Captain Steven Marks reported to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a proud member of the Class of 2008. He was nominated by Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, representing the 39th Congressional District of California. He also received a nomination to the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. Cadet Commander C/ CMSgt Blanca Contreras (L) and Squadron Commander Lt Col Gamila Mherian (R) congratulate C/Cpt Steven Marks onhis appointment to the Air Force Academy. The three hold his appointment letters to both the AFA and Merchant Marine Academy, Earhart Award, Eagle Scout plaque and Eagle Scout of the Year certificate. The appointments mark the fulfillment of a longtime goal by Cadet Captain Marks, and the culmination of over five years of effort. Our squadron motto is Ad Astra per Aspera To Strive for the Stars, said Lt Col Gamile Mherian, Commander of Los Angeles Cadet Squadron 138, and Captain Marks is a perfect example of that attitude. Were very proud of him. In 2003, Cadet Marks earned both Amelia Earhart Award, the third milestone award in the Civil Air Patrol cadet program, and Eagle Scout, the Boy Scouts of America highest achievement. In 2004, he was named the Eagle Scout of the Year for his district. He earned his solo wings flying California Wings Schweizer 2-33 gliders based at Joint Forces Training Center Los Alamitos, and is working on his glider pilot license. He looks forward to participating in the extracurricular soaring program at the Air Force Academy. Cadet Captain Marks has been a member of Los Angeles Cadet Squadron 138 since 1998. During that time, he has served in increasingly more responsible leadership positions from flight sergeant, color guard commander, flight commander, and finally cadet commander. He currently serves as advisor to the cadet commander and cadet leadership mentor. >>>Lt Col Charles Wiest
Ad Astra is an official publication of Los Angeles Cadet Squadron 138 - Civil Air Patrol, PCR-CA-292, published quarterly. Mailing address: P.O. Box 4307, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670. Website: http://sq138@cawg.cap.gov. Contact us at PCRCA292@earthlink.net. All rights reserved.

>>>Lt Col Gamile Mherian

Encampment 2004
California Wing hosted its annual encampment from August 8 to August 14 at Fort Hunter-Liggett. Encampment is a rigorous week of training designed for the Basic Cadet. It teaches many skills that are essential for a Civil Air Patrol career. The first day of encampment was hell. It is the beginning of the yelling and it continues for three days. The purpose of this is to maintain discipline and to encourage teamwork, which will hopefully result in success. The secret to encampment is teamwork. From the beginning you are told to work with a flight of people that are unknown to you. I was assigned to Kilo Flight of the 99th Cadet Training Squadron. Our first task was to complete our barracks procedures as a team. We werent very effective and didnt meet the Encampment Standard right away. Motivation from my Flight Staff, C/CMSgt Samuel Tellez and C/2nd Lieutenant Eric Perry helped us succeed. Our flight still didnt succeed until about the fourth day of encampment; we had a tough time.We learned that if we really put our hearts and souls into something we can accomplish it. We earned the 99th CTS drill championship and squadron honor flight twice in a row. Encampment ends up in a climax of great events that are priceless. The tools needed to succeed are found in this program. >>>C/MSgt Fidel Otanez

Aerospace Teacher of the Year

Judy Dominguez has been an educator for over 30 years and is currently a teacher at San Gabriel High School. She teaches her own curriculum called the Physics of Aerospace and Earth Science. Judy has been in the Civil Air Patrol for 29 years as an Aerospace Education Member. In 1999, she was honored as the A. Scott Crossfield National Aerospace Teacher of the Year at the annual National Congress on Air and Space Education (NCASE). Squadron 138 was fortunate to have Mrs. Dominguez as a guest speaker at our meeting in May and just recently in August. Her topics have been about the natural effects on an aircraft and air itself including Bernoullis Principle. Her classes are fun! As C/MSgt Brain Cole said, This is a real class! He said this after Judy brought in real bird wings and feathers to show the natural airfoil design found throughout birds. This is Mrs. Dominguezs style of teaching, as she never tries to make it boring. Hopefully she can come back and teach us something new. >>>C/MSgt Fidel Otanez

March Field Museum

On 28 August, nine members of Squadron 138 visited the March Field Museum. For the cadet members, this was their first visit to this growing museum that showcases the history of flying at March Field from 1918 to the present. Several months ago, when we were planning the trip, 2nd Lt Thomas Olson of San Bernardino Senior Squadron 5 graciously offered to guide us through the museum. When we arrived at the front door, Lieutenant Olson and his wife, 2nd Lt Carrie Olson, were there to greet us. We quickly began the tour at the most impressive aircraft ever built, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Lieutenant Olson explained its many unique features. Then it was off down the long line of other aircraft in the airpark, including the massive B-52, B-47, KC-135, C-141, and the Century Series of jet fighters..

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For every purchase you make at Albertsons and SavOn, they will make a donation to Los Angeles Cadet Squadron 138.

When we entered the main museum building, we were warmly greeted by Mort Blumenfeld, a retired Army Air Force pilot. As he guided us through the many displays, he shared a few of his own experiences flying many different types of aircraft during World War II. Each cadet had an opportunity to fly the G-Force simulator, where they experienced up to three times the force of gravity (3g) on a simulated flight in a Navy F-14 Tomcat. >>>Lt Col Charles Wiest

got up to help me, during lift-off! They suffered broken arms and blacked out, which left the Pilot stressed. The cabin temperature went up to 120F and we couldnt lower it, thinking anomaly. I went to look for my checklist that had floated away, and was told to pass out. It was hot. At one point the whole flight crew was out of the flight deck looking for a fire to put out. I lost my hand when I touched the fire; third degree burns. People dont think real well when it gets that hot, so that wasnt a wonderful experience to see everyone freaking out. The role-playing made it fun. The stress was challenging and rewarding. We all learned how to work better as a team and did some risky things to save the crew and the Orbiter. We got the bird up there safely and then we switched crews. The Station had a memorable experience of its own. We were hit with a solar flare, comet, and meteor shower, all within three hours! We had to evacuate in the middle of all this, and came back to see our Station a mess. There were drawers open, papers on the floor, and cabinets with experiment equipment missing. Then, when we are trying to restore power we see fire on our CRT screen. Not this again. I dislocated my shoulder when the pressure of the fire burst out of a door. Later on, there was a leak we had to find as well. I found it, and touched it. Well, that means that my hand was exposed to the vacuum of space, so my hand froze! I had no right hand, and no left shoulder for the rest of the mission. I was flipping switches with my chin. By the end of the mission everything was going smooth, with ten minutes left out Station Commander suddenly freaks out and rushes at everyone. Someone get the medical book! I urged. After his seizure was over and we figured out was what wrong, we gave him his medicine and fed him oxygen through a mask. Finally, the mission was overa success! Thank goodness that Shuttle had landed too, all the hard work paid off. The U.S. Rocket and Space Center is the largest rocket museum in the world! You bet that there was fun outside Mission Control, the Station, and the Orbiter as well. I was able to see the mock-up Pathfinder, the first Space Shuttle. It was an extraordinary sight, complete with solid rocket booster tank casings and an external tank casing. Then, there was the Saturn V. Wow! An even more jaw dropping sight, clearly the largest rocket in the museum. At the most opportune moment I was able to acquire Saturn V dust on my hands. My favorite part of the museum was indoors. I was able to see the Apollo 15 Command Module, and Liberty Bell 7! I knew of Liberty Bell 7 long before going to Camp. I watched the Discovery channel special on it, when it was being recovered. Mercury Astronaut Gus Grissom would be proud to see his old spacecraft on display; I sure was. The feeling of being around historical spacecraft is indescribable. I now wear my Advanced Space Academy Wings with pride and honor, which motivates me to do what I want to do. >>>C/MSgt Fidel Otanez

Feature Article of the Month: Closer to My Dream

Ive fallen in love with space travel! For quite a while now I have had a dream. My dream is to help humanity in a special way; I would like to someday explore space. Looking Skyward, a non-profit scholarship organization, has gotten me closer to this dream! On July 17 through July 23, I attended the Advanced Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama. I wasnt so sure what to expect when I got to Camp. Most people who were there had already attended a previous space camp program, so I knew that it was going to be exciting. Once I got to Camp, there were about 150 trainees there for the same program as me. We were divided into teams of about 20 trainees each. I was in Oberth Team, named after the German scientist. Everyone was shy at first. Then, after a few briefings we were told to work together. We had four 1-hour missions, which were to prepare us for a longer mission to come. My four mission assignments were, Alpha mission: CAPCOM/OTC, Bravo mission: Pilot, Charlie mission: INCO, and Delta mission: Flight Engineer. I was in Mission Control longer than I was in the Orbiter or Station. During the Extended Duration Mission (EDM), which lasted six hours, I was chosen to be Pilot Commander and Flight Engineer. During the first three hours of the mission the Orbiter is ascending, then docks with the station. After undocking from the station the Orbiter descends for the next three hours. I was Commander during ascent. It was a blast! I was in charge of three Mission Specialists and a Pilot and it was tough. We were given a ton of anomalies to solve, which were classified as medical, thinking, or buzzer anomalies. I had to act out a heart attack and my mission specialists

Calendar of Upcoming Events

11 September - Fiestas Patrias, Santa Fe Springs Neighborhood Center 19 September - glider flights at JFTC Los Alamitos 25 September - Fullerton Airport Day 2004 25-26 September - Group 1 Model Rocketry Weekend, Brackett Airport 9 October - City of Bellflower Liberty Day Parade 16-22 October - National Staff College, Maxwell AFB/Gunter Annex 30-31 October - California Wing Conference, Lions Gate Hotel, Sacramento 11 November - Veterans Day, Library Park, Monrovia 25 November- Thanksgiving Day 1 December - CAP Anniversary 5 December - Downey Holiday Lane Parade