03/24/2021
Civil Air Patrol’s Virginia Wing Announces New Patch
RICHMOND, Va. (March 24, 2021) –
The 2,000 members of Civil Air Patrol’s (CAP) Virginia Wing (VAWG) can now proudly wear a new patch on their sleeves. Colonel Dean Gould, the wing’s commander, announced the final approved patch last night. All members have five years to transition their uniforms to the new patch.
Col. Gould, who assumed command of VAWG in 2017, endeavored that during his command the patch would be updated. He commented, “It was important to keep our historical past in our patch, so with the new patch we adjusted it to the updated United States Air Force shield format which is similar to headquarters patches across the Air Force.” The patch focuses on VAWG’s primary mission of serving the Commonwealth of Virginia with the outline of the state on the patch. The colors match the same red and blue colors used across all of CAP. The shield format represents an organization that is flag bearing of which 22 different units fall under the command of VAWG. The outgoing patch dates back to the wing’s first commander and is a key symbol of VAWG which is quickly recognizable and used in nearly all publications, websites, and social media related to the wing.
In 2020, the wing continued to serve their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic and quickly adapted their meetings to a virtual format for continued education and training. The wing transported COVID-19 test kits, supported food pantries, provided photography before and after tropical weather, and more supporting communities at both local and state levels. Many units are now meeting in-person as COVID restrictions are lifted while continuing to practice social distancing and wearing face coverings. Anyone who is interested in serving with the wing is encouraged to visit the wing’s website to find the unit that meets closest to them at https://vawg.cap.gov/.
The Virginia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, with 22 squadrons spread throughout the Commonwealth has approximately 2,000 members, 12 light aircraft, 29 multi-purpose vehicles and two cargo vans. These assets are available to federal, state and local governments, emergency responders and law enforcement agencies to perform search and rescue, homeland security, disaster relief, humanitarian assistance and counter-drug missions. For more information on the Virginia Wing, visit the wing’s website at https://www.vawg.cap.gov/.
Civil Air Patrol is the longtime auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and as such is a valued member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 560 single-engine aircraft and 1,994 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). It performs about 90% of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 82 lives annually. CAP’s 60,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. Operating as a nonprofit organization, CAP also plays a leading role in STEM/aerospace education, and its members serve as mentors to about 25,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs. Visit www.CAP.News or www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information.
