The Florida Wing’s Spartans started the New Year in grand style, winning the 2015 National Cadet Competition and the Air Force Chief of Staff Sweepstakes Award Trophy that goes to the top Civil Air Patrol cadet team.
The 2015 competition was held Dec. 30-Jan. 1 in front of special guests that included senior U.S. Air Force and CAP personnel.
“It was a good competition,” said Lt. Col. Grace Edinboro, the activity’s director. “You are all winners!”
Cadets participating in the competition reached the national stage by winning group, wing and regional competitions.
Each of CAP’s eight regions were represented, as well as the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah and Virginia.
Members of the championship team from Coral Springs, Fla., were Cadet 2nd Lts. Michael Cassell and Santiago Ledesma, Cadet Master Sgt. Andres Fonseca, Cadet Staff Sgts. Kenneth Lasseter and Pedro Turmero and Cadet Senior Airman Anthony Vicary. The team was escorted by Capt. Luz Levin and 1st Lt. Sean Owens.
Cadets competed on six-member teams, demonstrating skills in events that involve precision and teamwork. These skills included indoor and outdoor color guard challenges, a written test of leadership and aerospace knowledge and a Jeopardy!-style game, a physical fitness test, an obstacle course-like fitness challenge, public speaking, model rocketry, team leadership problems (group problem solving challenges) and a uniform inspection.
In addition to the Air Force Chief of Staff Sweepstakes Award Trophy, second- and third-place team trophies were also presented. The second-place trophy went to the Sabre team from Ormond Beach, Fla., while the California Wing’s CA-324 team, based at Camp Pendleton, finished in third place.