Colorado Wing named DDR Wing of the Year
The award recognizes the wing with the strongest commitment to establishing a drug-free America.
The Colorado Wing Drug Demand Reduction Program distinguished itself in 2007 through steadfast service toward a drug-free America. A total commitment to the DDR mission has resulted in tremendous growth, both in personnel and the number of activities. The number of DDR officers increased from only 16 percent in 2006 to 82 percent in 2007, and the number is still growing in 2008. Training for these new senior and cadet DDR officers was provided throughout the wing under the direction of Chaplain Capt. Gordon Rourk, the wing DDRA, who holds a Master Rating. Ten new DDROs enrolled in the DDR Specialty Track in 2007. Activities also increased by 60 percent in 2007, with support from more than 325 Civil Air Patrol members from the wing. More than 60 community service activities were presented to 103,500 attendees, many of them students in elementary, junior high and high schools. Working with other wing directors, DDR presentations on drug awareness were presented at GSAR School, wing staff meetings, SAREXs, Region Chaplain Services Staff College and the wing and region conferences. The DDR program also increased its visibility and that of the Civil Air Patrol through working relationships established with military Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Air Force units as well as DEA, DARE and community organizations. The wing was invited to present the American flag at several home games of the Colorado Rapids, including on Military Appreciation Day and on Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Day. As a result of CAP support for the Colorado Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Rourk was selected as the CF Volunteer of the Year. The partnership he established with the Denver Channel 9 Health Fair and others allowed the wing to present the DDR and CAP message at 131 Colorado schools.
COWG Leadership Participates in National Legislative Day
Colorado Wing Commander Col Edward D. Phelka, accompanied by Col Gary Tobey (Wing Government Relations Officer - Federal) and Vice Commander Lt Col George Mixon, presented the Annual Report to Congress on February 28th in Washington, D.C. Of the nine Congressmen and Senators representing Colorado in D.C., eight of them met personally with Colonels Phelka, Tobey, and Mixon. All of them were very receptive to Civil Air Patrol and were proud of the 3,000 hours flown and 13 lives saved by the Colorado Wing in Fiscal 2007. Colonel Tobey, a veteran of numerous Legislative Day efforts on behalf of Colorado Wing, declared the event to be one of the most successful in recent memory.
Col Phelka, Col Tobey, and MD Wing Cadet Dickinson meet with Congressman Ed Perlmutter to deliver the Annual Report to Congress in Washington, D.C.
COWG Receives National Commander's Unit Citation
The Colorado Wing has been awarded the National Commander's Unit Citation Award for its work during the New Year's Blizzard of 31 December 2006 - 2 January 2007. During the National Winter Boards, COWG Commander Col. Greg Cortum accepted the award from National Commander Gen. Tony Pineda. The award was given for the dedication to duty exhibited by the COWG for its search-and-rescue efforts in locating stranded motorists, truckers and livestock in the aftermath of the blizzard. Each member of the COWG is now authorized to wear the National Commander's Unit Citation ribbon.