Since 1941, we have served America by providing the humanitarian services using volunteer members. CAP volunteers are unpaid, concerned citizens doing good works through local community activities.

“The Civil Air Patrol is definitely a force-multiplier and adds tremendous value to our nation’s homeland security efforts.”

Tom Ridge, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security

In addition, the CAP performs several missions in direct support of the U.S. Air Force. Specifically, CAP conducts damage assessment, radiological monitoring, light transport, communications support and low altitude route surveys.

In 1986, the CAP joined forces with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Customs Service to provide support for the Coast Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Forest Service to stem the flow of drugs into and within the U.S.

CAP is an aviation-focused organization, but you don’t have to be a pilot to have a long, satisfying CAP career. Most members are not pilots, they are aviation enthusiasts who wish to serve—on the ground or in the air.

The Civil Air Patrol is organized onto five command levels - National, Region, Wing, Group and Squadron. Each level is directly responsible to the level above it and exerts authority over all levels below it

Civil Air Patrol Missions fall into three major categories: Emergency Services, Aerospace Education and the Cadet Program. CAP performs 95% of our nation’s inland search and rescue missions, saves approximately 100 lives per year, conducts aerial reconnaissance for homeland security, supports disaster-relief/damage assessment, provides transport for time-sensitive medical materials and conducts counter drug missions. The CAP organizes over 100 aerospace education workshops per year and conducts the U.S.'s premier annual aerospace education conference.