Cadets and adult members of the Westover Composite Squadron played a vital role in the success of Holyoke’s legendary Saint Patrick’s Day "Homecoming Weekend," providing essential ground support for both the 10k road race and the annual parade March 21-22, 2026.
During the Brig. Gen. Arthur J. Pierce Squadron’s annual safety stand-down day in March, adult member 2nd Lt. Ryan Bishop, from the Westover Squadron, met with Pierce cadets in Amherst, Mass., to talk aircraft and airfield safety, as well as running through a pre-flight inspection.
The cadet encampment leadership staff met at Bridgewater State University on March 21 to practice their leadership and accountability skills for the upcoming Massachusetts Wing Encampment.
Take a situation not as it should be but as what it is. You can only change the future.
This is one of the many lessons cadets experienced from the 2026 ELDP (Encampment Leadership Development Program) during a recent wargaming activity at the Naval War College in Rhode Island.
On Oct. 26, a team of cadets from the Brigadier General Arthur J. Pierce Cadet Squadron in Amherst, Mass., participated online in the first round of the CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. After completing a quiz, the cadets began to adjust settings within a virtual operating system to secure the network. Their strategy drew from best practices in the field of cybersecurity and the requirements of the given scenario.
This last weekend, members from around the Massachusetts Wing took part in the annual Gettysburg leadership staff ride. Cadets and adult members led discussions at different stops around the battlefield, exploring themes of trust, teamwork, leadership, and decision-making.
Cadets and senior members of the Massachusetts Wing Civil Air Patrol had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to connect with a living legend of space exploration, Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise. The teleconference, held recently, gave members the rare chance to hear firsthand stories from Haise—one of only 24 people to have voyaged to the moon.
Adult members and cadets from across the state met at Bridgewater State University (BSU) this past weekend for the annual Civil Air Patrol Massachusetts Wing Conference.
Congratulations to adult member Maj. Leslie Kneipfer on earning the Air & Space Forces Association Massachusetts Teacher of the Year award. Maj. Kneipfer was recognized for her work as the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Massachusetts Wing Director of Aerospace Education and as a 7th-grade Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) teacher at Raynham Middle School.
Registration is open - Join us this summer for the 2025 Massachusetts Wing Encampment, held at Joint Base Cape Cod from July 26 to August 3.
