SR889: SR889 Civil Air Patrol; recognize

26 LC 112 3768 Senate Resolution 889 By: Senators Harbin of the 16th, Strickland of the 42nd, Bearden of the 30th, Gooch of the 51st and Watson of the 1st A RESOLUTION Recognizing the Civil Air Patrol for their service to the citiz ens of Georgia; and for other1 purposes.2 WHEREAS, the Civil Air Patrol was founded on December 1, 1941, as an organization of3 volunteers meant to assist the United States military in national defense by performing aerial4 coastal patrols and emergency services within the continental United States; and5 WHEREAS, in 1943, the capabilities of the organization were recognized as vital to national6 defense, and by Presidential Executive Order, the Civil Air Patrol was assigned to the War7 Department and subsequently designated by Congress on May 26, 1 948, as the official8 auxiliary to the United States Air Force to perform three disti nct missions: emergency9 services, aerospace education, and cadet programs; and10 WHEREAS, Civil Air Patrol's association with the United States Air Force in performing11 these "Missions for America" as part of the United States Air Force's Total Force; and12 WHEREAS, the Georgia Wing of Civil Air Patrol consists of almos t 2,000 volunteer13 members in 37 squadrons and seven groups located throughout this state; and14 S. R. 889 - 1 - 26 LC 112 3768 WHEREAS, Georgia Wing members earned national recognition in 2021 by receiving the15 Crisis Service Award for their efforts to support Georgia's com munities during the16 COVID-19 pandemic; and17 WHEREAS, Georgia Wing members, as an intricate component of our national defense,18 volunteer their services, time, and resources to actively suppo rt Civil Air Patrol by19 conducting missions in homeland security, disaster relief, and emergency services, search20 and rescue, counter drug, aerospace education, and cadet progra ms, heavily supporting21 hurricane relief efforts for Helene and Milton by providing FEM A and GEMA with22 thousands of aerial images as well as supporting distribution p oints around the state and23 conducting "Sundown Patrols" in South Georgia; and24 WHEREAS, the estimated value of the Georgia Wing members' volunteer hours in 2024 was25 in excess of $7.6 million; and26 WHEREAS, these "flying minutemen" of the Civil Air Patrol have, since its inception,27 consistently provided this state with invaluable emergency serv ices, serving America's28 communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.29 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body30 recognize the selfless contributions that the volunteers of the Civil Air Patrol have made to31 the State of Georgia.32 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed33 to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the Georgia Wing34 of the Civil Air Patrol.35 S. R. 889 - 2 -