Happy Halloween!!

Be safe out there MD003, but have a wonderful Halloween.

photo of a witch flying over an aircraft carrier - found on @USNavyAirCraftCarriers (Facebook) but am unsure who is original artist. 

Nike Missile Site Restoration Project

Have you ever been inside a Cold War Missile Silo?? Have you ever been to a museum and been fascinated with the displays and appreciative of how the preservation of historical sites and artifacts can help bring our past to life. Ever wondered what it might be like to help preserve history?

Our very own Maryland Wing Headquarters is based at a Cold War Nike Missile Site near Woodstock, Maryland and CMSgt Tom Reed (treed@cap.gov) has been spearheading the work of restoring this site to its original state (minus the live missiles, obviously, but acquisition of mock missiles or disabled missiles to display is not out of the question).

A lot of work has been done to reclaim this site from the wild, however much is still left to be done. Cleaning the grounds, painting the silos and access ports, rehabbing a number of the associated buildings, etc. are just some of the many tasks to accomplish. Labor is needed as are donations. Please see our Maryland Wing Website about this opportunity.

CMSgt Tom Reed posted this video (on the BA79 Facebook page) about a similar site near Chicago which you may find interesting and educational -

Video - with this news article - https://wgntv.com/2019/10/13/chicagos-secret-cold-war-history-is-hidden-in-plain-sight/

A number of our cadets and Senior Members have participated in work days out at the site - it's hard work but very rewarding to see the progress. If anyone is interested in getting a group together to volunteer, please speak to your chain of command and we can coordinate with Wing and see what needs to be done.

Safety Beacon and New Resources Page

Greetings MD003!

I want to bring to your attention two assets you may find helpful:

The first is the new "OPS & Training" Page.  This page, which you can find linked on the left hand side of the website under "Pages", will bring you to a list of handy links and resources associated with all of the various aspects of CAP Operations and Training. The page itself is still under construction. I have begun working on the "Safety" section, but please check back regularly as more will be added.

If you have any suggestions or corrections, please contact MD003 Admin.

The second asset you should be aware of is the official safety newsletter of the CAP. Here is a link to the April/May 2019 issue of "Safety Beacon" and you will find a link to archived newsletters on our "Ops & Training" page.

Copy of the CAP Safety Beacon logo

"The Safety Beacon is for informational purposes. Unit safety officers are encouraged to use the articles in the Beacon as topics for their monthly safety briefings and discussions. Members may also go to LMS, read the Beacon, and take a quiz to receive credit for monthly safety education."

Topics this issue include:

• Vehicle maintenance and safety with a focus on tires. This is good information for your own POV (personally owned vehicle) as well as official vehicles.
• An essay on ''Successful Failures" - "What’s the worst that could happen if you cancel? Don’t stay married to that plan if it is untenable."
• Why it's important to go beyond "It was just a dumb mistake" 
•  Updates on the new safety regulations
• Information on the plan for National Safety Officer College
•  a few reminders to members who use SIRS regularly
• Safety Education “Rates”
• What is the Difference between a Safety Mishap Review and an Investigation? 

ACTION - You can go to the LMS (Learning Management System), scroll all the way down to "Safety: Monthly Education" and take the "BEACON - April/May 2019 Safety Beacon Newsletter" Quiz. It's a short, 10 question open-book quiz, and you can earn credit for monthly safety education.