Hawk Mountain Ranger School (HMRS) is a Search and Rescue school operated by the Pennsylvania Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). The school, located in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, is a National Cadet Special Activity operated by Pennsylvania Wing; it is the only NCSA not operated by National Headquarters CAP (CAPNHQ). On September 11, 2004, the school was rededicated as the 'Colonel Phil
lip Neuweiler Ranger Training Facility' in honor of its founder, Colonel Phillip Neuweiler. Location
The School is located on 77 acres of CAP corporate property Kempton, Pennsylvania. The school is on the side of the Blue Mountains, approximately a mile south of the Hawk Mountain Bird Sanctuary. The school's base camp is located in a clearing off of Pine Swamp Road. However, the school's activities make use of several hundred acres of state game land in the surrounding hills, including several sections of the Appalachian Trail and accompanying side trails. History
After World War II, Civil Air Patrol shifted its focus away from patrolling sea lanes and anti-submarine warfare to enlarging its Search and Rescue operations. During the early 1950s, Colonel Phillip Neuweiler saw an increasing need for trained rescue teams for use by Civil Air Patrol's Pennsylvania Wing, which he commanded. He sent several teams to Westover AFB to be instructed by Air Force Pararescuemen. The Air Force instructors were so inspired by the dedication, motivation, and quality of the students that they called their students 'Rangers
