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Apollo 1 squadron member earns ACE Award

Wassel presents Miller with certificate
1st Lt. Ron Miller of the Apollo 1 Composite Squadron is awarded the ACE Award for completing the highest level of the Explore Maryland by Air program. Mr. Michael Wassel, manager of the Tipton Airport presents the award during a recent ceremony. (Photo credit: Maj. David Williamson, CAP)

Award for visiting all 36 Md. airports, 4 aviation museums, and safety seminars

By Maj. Brenda A. Reed, CAP
Maryland Wing Public Affairs

5/18/2012–Odenton, MD–Civil Air Patrol Maryland Wing member 1st Lt. Ronald Miller was recently awarded the ACE Award from the Explore Maryland by Air Program. This program began in 2011 and encourages those interested in aviation to explore the 36 public airports in Maryland as well as visit the four aviation museums and attend four FAA Faasteam safety seminars. The ACE Award is the highest of the three awards possible in the program.

Miller completed the highest level within the first year of the program. Using the special passport provided by the program, Miller recorded his visits with a special stamp at each location. Those completing the ACE level earn a flight jacket. Mr. Michael Wassel, manager of the Tipton Airport, presented Miller with his award during a recent ceremony.

First Lt. Miller, a member of the Apollo 1 Composite Squadron, currently serves as the squadron’s ground transportation officer and is the Maryland Wing webmaster and director of information technology. A Civil Air Patrol member since 2009, he is a mission pilot, a mission observer, and a cadet orientation flight pilot.

Additional information about the Explore Maryland by Air program can be found on their website or by downloading their brochure.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with more than 61,000 members nationwide, operating a fleet of 550 aircraft. CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 54 lives in fiscal year 2011. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to nearly 27,000 young people currently participating in the CAP cadet program. CAP received the World Peace Prize in 2011 and has been performing missions for America for 70 years. CAP also participates in Wreaths Across America, an initiative to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. Visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com or www.capvolunteernow.com for more information.

Nearly 1,600 members of CAP serve in Maryland. Last fiscal year wing members flew 29 search and rescue missions and were credited with 13 finds saving three lives. Maryland Wing flew over 160 missions for the State of Maryland for a total of 2,222 hours flown.  Volunteers contributed services estimated at 4.2 million dollars. For more information contact the Maryland Wing at www.mdcap.org.