Lack of help forces Civil Air Patrol to leave St. Thomas

ST. THOMAS - The Civil Air Patrol on St. Thomas has closed its doors for good.

A lack of adult volunteers has caused the youth program - the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force - to end its decades of service in St. Thomas.

The island's last squadron was shut down officially Oct. 31.

"We don't have an option, we really don't," Major Sally Browne said.

Browne, the acting commander of the St. Thomas USVI Composite Squadron, said the Civil Air Patrol has been struggling on St. Thomas for the past few years from a lack of interest by young people and a lack of commitment from adult volunteers.

The territory used to have four squadrons, one on St. Croix and three on St. Thomas. Earlier this year, that was cut down to one in each district, Browne said. The St. Croix squadron still is going strong, she said.

The organization is run completely by volunteers who are senior Civil Air Patrol members, Browne said. Cadets in the program are between the ages of 12 and 18.

Meeting every Saturday, the cadets are given training, perform drills and learn life skills. As part of their service to the community, the cadets march in parades, perform color guard duties at official ceremonies, provide traffic control and security at events and assist the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross during a disaster.

However, every time the cadets are asked to provide service, they must be accompanied by a senior member who is at least 18 years old.

Cadets pay an annual membership fee of $33, but the uniforms are provided to them. Senior members pay $70 to join and $60 to renew their membership each year and must pay for all their own travel, training and uniforms.

Browne said there are currently 19 cadets and 12 senior members enrolled, but the reality is that only about half of the senior members still live in the territory, and only about four still regularly participate in the program.

The lack of adult volunteers has forced the Civil Air Patrol to turn down invitations for parades and other community service.

"We refuse to put a group of cadets out on the street who don't know how to march," she said. "When we appear in uniform, we represent the U.S. Air Force."

The disbanded Civil Air Patrol program is one of the reasons the St. Thomas-St. John Agricultural Fair was cancelled this year - for years the cadets would camp on the property to provide security, as well as directing traffic and parking for the annual event.

Browne said she has appealed to the community for months to help save the program but has not received any interest.

"There are many, many former cadets living in the Virgin Islands, and we have virtually begged asking for any adults or any former cadets to help keep this program going," Browne said.

The Civil Air Patrol office in the Gramboko Building in Sub Base soon will be closed, and the paperwork has been filed with the Puerto Rico wing of the Civil Air Patrol's Southeast Region to disband the St. Thomas squadron, Browne said.

She thanked the United Way for sponsoring the youth program for many years.

"There's nothing to say that at a later date the phoenix cannot rise again, but at the moment, this is the situation," Browne said.

- Contact Aldeth Lewin at 774-8772 ext.311 or e-mail alewin@dailynews.vi.

Sign up for Text Alerts

Sign up for e-mail newsletters