By Joan F. Simoneau, Community Reporter
Marlborough – Members of the Lt. Col. Frank Pocher Minute Man Squadron, Marlborough's unit of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), were invited to visit the USS Constitution in Boston recently, as guests of the 2nd Brigade of the Army's Atlantic Division of the 75th Training Command.
“It was a private VIP tour to areas of the ship that are normally off limits,” said 2nd Lt. Pauline Smith.
“We stood in formation with the Army and did as they did,” she said, while witnessing the retirement ceremony below deck for veterans with 30 years of service. The local unit also assisted the Middlesex Sheriff's Command Post at the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton earlier this month.
“We are growing in number and are becoming more active in the community as well as serving at other Massachusetts wing events and missions,” Smith said.
The CAP is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force with over 60,000 members nationwide. CAP performs search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. Members also play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to young people participating in CAP cadet programs.
