Mission

     The mission of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is to voluntarily use its resources to meet emergencies, to encourage aerospace education of the general public, and to motivate young men and women to the ideals of leadership and service through aerospace education and training. Civil Air Patrol is a non-profit organization and local extention of the United States Air Force Auxiliary. The Civil Air Patrol was created on July 1, 1946 when President Harry Truman signed Public Law 476 that incorporated CAP as a benevolent, nonprofit organization. On May 26, 1948, Congress passed Public Law 557 which permanently established CAP as the Auxiliary of the new U.S. Air Force. CAP has conducted its missions for more than 50 years. Civil Air Patrol has more than 53,000 volunteer members; 34,000 in senior-member and 19,000 in Cadet programs. In general, CAP members are not paid for their service to the United States.