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The Blue Berets is the popular name for the Civil Air Patrol Special Service Corps (CAPSCC), which started as a group of senior and cadet CAP members training in search and rescue and wilderness survival. The program eventually grew into more of a "ranger training" program and airshow team. The Civil Air Patrol (CAP), for those who don't know, is the Air Force Auxiliary.
I was once a member of CAP, mostly because my pepere was and I wanted to be in the Air Force and CAP like him so I signed up. While I never was a Blue Beret (by then it was just about dead because of some folks who got big heads and started hazing and generally being big shot asshats that screwed it up for others), I did take search and rescue (SAR) training as well as wilderness and winter survival training when I was in junior high school and high school. I never got to serve on a SAR mission because the one time our unit was called upon to help with a plane crash in Nashua, my family's phone was disconnected and they were unable to reach me. I was required to maintain a specific set of gear and keep it ready at all times in case I was called for a SAR mission. I would occasionally have to bring it for inspection. I was certified for search and rescue, wilderness survival, winter survival and the detection of radioactive materials.
That last one was a fun one. We were meeting at the National Guard Armory by then and FEMA came in to train a bunch of us. After a good portion of the day was spent reading up on radioactive materials and how to properly detect, locate and secure a contaminated site, we were tested. The instructors tested us by clearing us out of the room, bringing in several cannisters (only a couple of which contained trace amounts of radioactive materials, enough to set off a Geiger counter) and then one-by-one sending us in to find the contaminated cannisters. I don't recall how well I did on the test, only that I was certified to help on a SAR mission involving radioactive materials.
I remember the encampment stories about The Blue Berets and the hazing. I recall one or two of the members of our unit either being Blue Berets (wasn't Hodges?) or at least recalling their attempts at becoming Blue Berets. I had this combination of fascination with the prospect of becoming a Blue Beret and this simultaneous disgust for the apparent machismo in the stories told of them, as I recall, though I admit this could be muddled by my maturity since then and I could have very well aspired to be one whole-heartedly.
I eventually listened to too much John Lennon and turned all hippy peacenik, grew my hair long and quit Civil Air Patrol my sophomore or junior year of high school. My biggest regret was that I no longer got to continue my SAR and survival training and I didn't get to complete my aviation training to get my pilot license.
I was once a member of CAP, mostly because my pepere was and I wanted to be in the Air Force and CAP like him so I signed up. While I never was a Blue Beret (by then it was just about dead because of some folks who got big heads and started hazing and generally being big shot asshats that screwed it up for others), I did take search and rescue (SAR) training as well as wilderness and winter survival training when I was in junior high school and high school. I never got to serve on a SAR mission because the one time our unit was called upon to help with a plane crash in Nashua, my family's phone was disconnected and they were unable to reach me. I was required to maintain a specific set of gear and keep it ready at all times in case I was called for a SAR mission. I would occasionally have to bring it for inspection. I was certified for search and rescue, wilderness survival, winter survival and the detection of radioactive materials.
That last one was a fun one. We were meeting at the National Guard Armory by then and FEMA came in to train a bunch of us. After a good portion of the day was spent reading up on radioactive materials and how to properly detect, locate and secure a contaminated site, we were tested. The instructors tested us by clearing us out of the room, bringing in several cannisters (only a couple of which contained trace amounts of radioactive materials, enough to set off a Geiger counter) and then one-by-one sending us in to find the contaminated cannisters. I don't recall how well I did on the test, only that I was certified to help on a SAR mission involving radioactive materials.
I remember the encampment stories about The Blue Berets and the hazing. I recall one or two of the members of our unit either being Blue Berets (wasn't Hodges?) or at least recalling their attempts at becoming Blue Berets. I had this combination of fascination with the prospect of becoming a Blue Beret and this simultaneous disgust for the apparent machismo in the stories told of them, as I recall, though I admit this could be muddled by my maturity since then and I could have very well aspired to be one whole-heartedly.
I eventually listened to too much John Lennon and turned all hippy peacenik, grew my hair long and quit Civil Air Patrol my sophomore or junior year of high school. My biggest regret was that I no longer got to continue my SAR and survival training and I didn't get to complete my aviation training to get my pilot license.
