SOUTH DAKTOA – Unprecedented attendance and media interest highlighted the split search and rescue exercise Jan. 12-13 held in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. In Sioux Falls, a record 53 members from the Big Sioux and Sioux Falls composite squadrons participated in the exercise, which also attracted coverage from all three local commercial TV news stations – KDLT, the NBC affiliate; CBS affiliate KELO; and KSFY, the ABC statation – and the state’s largest daily newspaper, the Argus Leader.

SOUTH DAKOTA – Five stars recently appeared over the northern plains on a brilliantly blue fall day. It wasn’t a meteor shower or other astronomical event. Instead, two generals from different branches of the U.S. military were participating in a Civil Air Patrol/U.S. Air Force/South Dakota Air National Guard/South Dakota Army National Guard mission high above the Nebraska Sandhills, just south of the South Dakota border. Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch, South Dakota National Guard adjutant general, flew in the backseat scanner position in one the South Dakota Wing’s glass-cockpit Cessna 182Ts during the intercept mission and in the observer position in the right front on the return flight.

A pair of North Central Region wings – Nebraska and South Dakota – recently conducted their first Legislative Days, making sure their respective states’ lawmakers are aware of the services Civil Air Patrol members carry out for their communities and the nation. In Lincoln, the Nebraska Wing’s day at the Capitol began with a breakfast meeting and briefing for lawmakers and their staffs. Col. David Plum, wing commander, briefed senators and legislative staffers on the wing’s capabilities. Later, members spread through the building to meet and leave information on CAP with senators who hadn’t been able to attend the breakfast. Officers and cadets alike were on hand to speak to their representative about the wing. In Pierre, “the idea is to tell policymakers the South Dakota Civil Air Patrol story of the many volunteer hours spent on photo reconnaissance and other missions for state, federal, tribal and local governments,” said Col. John Seten, wing commander.

SOUTH DAKOTA—Col. John Seten and Lt. Col. Rick Larson are the South Dakota Wing’s new commander and vice commander, respectively. Seten most recently held the position of wing director of operations. An incident commander and mission pilot, during extensive flooding last year he flew many photo missions in support of the state’s and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief efforts and also directed other missions.

SOUTH DAKOTA — World War II subchaser and South Dakota aviation legend Luverne “Vern” Kraemer has passed away. He was 95. Kraemer, who died June 20 in Rapid City, was the last known subchaser in South Dakota. Trained as a blacksmith by his father as a young man in Nemo in the Black Hills of South Dakota, aviation proved to be Kraemer’s lifelong passion.

SOUTH DAKOTA – The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office has suspended the search for Cadet 2nd Lt. Justin Lewis of the Crazy Horse Composite Squadron, ending the South Dakota Wing's role in the quest to find one of their own. Specialized dive teams from state and local government have since begunconcentrating on Deerfield Lake in the central Black Hills, where Lewis was last thought to be kayaking. A dive team and search dogs are expected tojoin the search on the water Saturday.

Five color guard teams representing 5 different wings participated in the North Central Region color guard competition April 16, 2011 in Sioux Falls. The teams were from the states of Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska and South Dakota. The cadets used teamwork, preparation and knowledge of the flag during the competition.

NORTH DAKOTA – When spring finally arrives to North Dakota, two things seem assured: flooding from snowmelt and the North Dakota Wing’s heavy involvement in the local, state and federal response to that flooding. The spring of 2011 has been much the same as the springs of 2009 and 2010 in this northern plains state – too much water from too much snow in too many places affecting too many people. The 1997 flooding on the Red River of the North, which flows north instead of south from near the South Dakota border to Lake Winnipeg, reached historic proportions for Grand Forks, Fargo, Moorhead, Minn., and other communities.

NORTH DAKOTA -- Members of the North and South Dakota wings had the opportunity Sunday to meet with U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry when she visited the air operations branch of the State Emergency Operations Center after a tour of flooding in North Dakota. The branch, up the stairs and across a couple hallways from the operations center in Bismarck, is where Civil Air Patrol members, a contingent of active-duty and auxiliary Coast Guard members and state and federal officials coordinate airplanes and helicopters, as well as airboats and rescue boats. North Dakota is in the midst of another springtime battle against flood waters across the state.

SOUTH DAKOTA — South Dakota Wing began searching this morning for a missing PA-24 Comanche that left Chamberlain Municipal Airport for Millard Airport, near Omaha, Neb., about 5 p.m. Sunday. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center contacted Civil Air Patrol to conduct a search after the Comanche failed to arrive at its reported destination as expected. No electronic locator transmitter signal from the aircraft has been expected.

SOUTH DAKOTA — What do you do when your squadron is spending the day training, when suddenly reality — in the form of floodwaters — intrudes? You turn the wet reality into part of the training. At least, that’s exactly what the Sioux Falls Composite Squadron did Sept. 25 while holding a search and rescue exercise that had been scheduled for months.

NORTH DAKOTA – Cadets and senior members from six wings as far away at the Atlantic Coast are participating in a joint North and South Dakota encampment featuring the theme of leadership and honor guard. The encampment head count at Camp Graft in Devils Lake stands at 84 – 68 cadets and 16 senior members from the North and South Dakota, Colorado Minnesota, Nebraska and Virginia wings. A Civil Air Patrol encampment is similar to basic training for the military. Cadet leaders who have progressed through the ranks by testing in leadership, aerospace education, physical conditioning and review boards actually run the encampment. Supervision comes from senior members, including clerical duties, leadership input and medical support.

SOUTH DAKOTA – Since March 16 the South Dakota Wing has been flying over flooded areas of the state and taking geographically tagged aerial photographs of ice jams and flood damage for the state’s Office of Emergency Management. “During last year's spring flooding, we impressed the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management with our capabilities,” said Col. Teresa Schimelfening, wing commander. “This year we were asked for our help again.”

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Since March 16 Civil Air Patrol’s South Dakota Wing, in its role as an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, has been performing overflights of flooded areas of the state and taking geographically tagged aerial photographs of ice jams and flood damage for the state’s Office of Emergency Management. The wing answers the state’s requests by dispatching three-person aircrews from its fleet of single-engine Cessna 172s and 182 stationed across the state.

SOUTH DAKOTA – Maj. Teresa Schimelfening, a U.S. Army veteran who spent nearly nine years on active duty, will accept command of the South Dakota Wing at the wing’s 2010 conference in Chamberlain on Jan. 23. Schimelfening will take the reins from Col. Mike Beason, the wing commander for the last 4 1/2 years. Upon assuming command, she will be promoted to colonel for the duration of her four-year term.