Northeast Region Conference –  LtCol Freeman and Maj Brechbuhl attended the Northeast Region Conference in Hartford, CT last weekend.   There were hundreds of CAP members from ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, PA, and the National HQ.  Participants were shown the CAP Strategic Plan  http://www.capmembers.com/cap_national_hq/co-and-cc-national-briefing/), many awards were presented, two cadets were awarded the Spaatz Award and everyone got to meet Col Mary Feik.

Col Mary Feik is an aviation engineer, master mechanic, pilot, instructor  and aircraft restorer.  During WWII,  she taught aircraft maintenance for the US Army Air Corps and is credited with becoming the first woman engineer in research and development at Wright Field, Ohio.  Col Feik logged more than 6,000 hours as a B-29 flight engineer, engineering observer and pilot of P-51, P-47, and P-63 aircraft and designed high performance and jet fighter pilot transition trainers and aircraft maintenance trainers, pilot training manuals and technical engineering reports for the Air Force.

Although she has received numerous awards, in 2003 she commented that “My ultimate honor is the Civil Air Patrol cadet achievement created in my name.”

At the banquet, some CAP members kept up the venerable and ancient USAF “Party Shirt” tradition.  Col Feik was the judge and Col Vazquez was the winner.