BETHEL – The Sundown Squadron recently met at Gould Academy for a class in aerospace education, taught by the squadron’s aerospace education and safety officer, First Lt. Randy Autrey.

After the class, a special ceremony was held during which Cadet Commander Galen Topper, one of Autrey’s students, was promoted to cadet staff sergeant. Topper, a junior at Gould Academy, has also been accepted to a position on the cadet staff for the summer’s encampment at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts.

When the sky is clear and the weather warm, Autrey can be seen in his powered parachute gliding over the Gould campus. Autrey, a three-year member of the Civil Air Patrol, was recently promoted to first lieutenant and translates his CAP experience to the classroom.

“I love aviation. I love to teach, and I enjoy watching people get excited about aviation,” said Autrey. “I use my own personal experience and information from CAP to provide ‘real world’ prospective that is really useful to my students.”

Autrey has always been interested in aviation and owns a Piper Cherokee 160 in addition to his powered parachute. Outside of Gould, he is an FAA safety team representative and flight instructor.

He flies burn and cancer patients free as part of the Angel Flight Program and also teaches aeronautics to ages 12 to 18 through CAP. He said the kids are in the program because they love the community service and they get to ride in planes and gliders and learn leadership, navigation and survival skills.

The Sundown Squadron 037 meets from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays at the American Legion in Rumford. Any youth between age 12 and 18 is invited to join the cadet program. Adults are also welcome.

The squadron is engaged in various activities besides meetings. Recently, several members, in a joint effort with the Rumford American Legion Post and local scouts, placed flags on the graves of veterans in the Rumford/Mexico area. The squadron does many other community service projects.

For opportunities to serve as a senior member in a variety of specialties, contact Squadron Commander Barbara Arsenault. Arsenault and other officers of the squadron are available to speak at clubs and organizations. She can be contacted at 364-7901.

The Civil Air Patrol was formulated on Dec. 1, 1941, just days before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but wasn’t officially made the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary until 1948. Throughout World War II, the Civil Air Patrol made regular patrols to watch for German submarines off the East and Gulf coasts.

After the war was over, the Civil Air Patrol established itself in doing many of the foundation things the modern Civil Air Patrol does today on a regular basis.