Our local squadron is comprised of Senior members and Cadets dedicated to community service.

The Poughkeepsie chapter of CAP, called the Dutchess County Composite Squadron performs several duties and tasks that benefit the local community. Although our primary function consists of the responsibility for search and rescue operations as the civilian "eyes" of the U.S. Air Force, our volunteer status benefits many groups and local organizations.

Some of the numerous functions that we have been involved with are :
The Heart Walk
Breast Cancer Awareness activities such as MILES OF HOPE
Community day in many towns
Civic Parades
etc.

We assist in several large staging situations to assist with crowd control and parking assistance.

We visit local institutions, such as Castle Point Veteran's hospital on Memorial day, and we participate in food drives sponsored by local businesses.

Our Color Guard also presents the color, our American Flag, whenever requested at local venu's and civic activities.

Other activities we have performed relate to National Security and Drug Reduction programs. Our specially trained mission pilots have conducted aerial surveys and reconnaisance of our local reservoirs and acquaducts. They have flown numerous counterdrug missions for the drug enforcement agency. On September 12, 2001 a CAP aircraft was the first small plane with gobernment authorization to fly overhead the World Trade Center site relaying visual images by special video camera installed on board the aircraft.

Most of our members have worked diligently on their training, and have also worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to accomplish training in Incident Command Systems that will allow our members to be contacted for use in disaster situations and other emergencies in our local community.

We would love the opportunity to talk with anyone interested in becoming a member, obtaining training for functions described above, and many more training paths! Come join us for a meeting!