Operations

	Operations
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Fairfax Composite Squadron and Emergency Services One third of CAP's mission includes Emergency Services. Fairfax Squadron prides itself on our Ground Search and Rescue (SAR) capabilities.
CAP Air Operations CAP owns many aircraft that are used for Homeland Security, Search and Rescue, Disaster Relieve, Counter Drug, and Flight Training.			TRAINING ~Survival: It is essential to learn how to survive. Whether you're driving your car down a country road or performing search and rescue operations, your life may depend on the skills you know . At Fairfax Squadron, wilderness survival skills are a part of every field training exercise (FTX). ~Electronic Search: CAP prides itself on Electronic Search. Whether from the air or on the ground, our electronic search capabilities are second to none. Each ground team member will learn to use several different devices used in tracking down Emergency Locator Transmitters, or ELT. Every aircraft in the United States, and most boats, have an ELT onboard. When the plane goes down, the ELT automatically emits a signal that can be tracked by our directional finding equipment. ~First Aid and CPR: Fairfax Squadron currently has 4 American Red Cross training instructors. Each member of the squadron has the opportunity to learn first aid skills to include how to stop bleeding, splint a fracture, prevent shock, perform CPR, and evacuate a patient. ~Lost Person Search: Again, CAP is at the forefront of searching for lost persons. Skills in "man-tracking" are taught to every ground team member. Wheter its a challenging line search or a hasty search off of a trail, you'll learn when and how to conduct such searches. ~Tactical Communications: From floods to lost person searches, CAP has the tools to communicate. Usually done by VHF handheld and base station radios, members of Fairfax are equipped to communicate in the air and on land. Sometimes when your cell phone signal dies, your only reliable means of communcations may be your handheld radio and the CAP aircraft flying overhead.
Field Training Exercises (FTX) Each year the Fairfax Squadron along with it's sister squadron, Mount Vernon, conduct several missions to enhance our training and readiness. Honing our skills in every aspect of ground operations is important. From finding the non-distress ELT on at the airport to being called out at midnight to locate a missing aircraft, we must always be ready. Members of Fairfax will find themselves conducting readiness exercises that cover almost every possible mission we can be called on. Below is a list of exercises we conduct annually: TAC COMEX: In 2003 we celebrated the 25th annual Tactical Communications Exercise (TAC COMEX). TAC COMEX involves both air and ground teams conducting tactical communications relay while navigating to designated points to test our radio capabiliites. WINTEX: The annual Winter Exercise (WINTEX) is over a 3-day, 2-night period and always the last weekend of December. Ground Team operators will find themselves conducting searches during extreme cold weather conditions. Additionally, survival training is major part of this operation. MOUNTEX: Each November the wing heads up to the Shenandoah Mountains for Mountain Search Operations. Searching in mountainous terrain offers it's own challenges, but during cold weather, safety for our searches is even more of a concern. Other Training includes one and two-day courses in a variety of fieldcraft such as survival, K-9 SAR, search technicques, and advanced medical training. CAP Operations National CAP Training Opportunities Civil Air Patrol has 3 special activities dedicated to Search and Rescue Training. 1. National Emergency Services Academy 2. Hawk Mount Ranger School 3. Pararescue Orientation Course Hawk Mountain Ranger School			Ruck March Members from Fairfax Squadron carrying their 72-hour gear during an exercise in December 2002.
			1st Lt Josh at Massanutten Mountain, 1998. Fairfax Squadron Emergency Services Officer. As a cadet, 1st Lt Josh earned the Billy Mitchell Award as well as the BSA Eagle Scout Award. He also served in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman and is now serving in the Air National Guard and has two tours in support of Iraqi Freedom under his belt.