Barksdale Cadet Receives Billy Mitchell Award

Bossier City, Louisiana. Civil Air Patrol cadet, R. Shoults, was promoted to C/2LT in the Bossier City mayor's office on 29 May, 2007. Mayor Lorenzo Walker presented Cadet Shoults with the Billy Mitchell Award, a "key to the city" and a special coin during the promotion. The cadet's parents were there to pin on his new rank.

C/2LT R. Shoults joined the Civil Air Patrol in 2004 and was previously the Cadet First Sergeant at Barksdale Composite Squadron. He is a recent graduate of Loyola College Prep and plans to attend LSU on an AFROTC scholarship. Cadet Shoults has worked hard to achieve his new rank by setting a good impression on fellow cadets and training them so that they might one day follow in his footsteps.

The Billy Mitchell Award is a review of everything a cadet has learned so far in the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program. It is the second milestone in the cadet program and requires the passing of a 100 question test and a difficult physical training test. The cadet must know drill and ceremonies well to make it this far in the Civil Air Patrol cadet program. Many cadets have received this award around the United States. With the program growing every day and as more cadets work hard and test to promote, this program can expect many more to earn the Billy Mitchell Award just as Cadet Shoults. This is a prestigious achievement in the Civil Air Patrol cadet program.

Article submitted by: C/SSgt Heather King