Kansas Wing
Main Content

Spaatz Awards

General Carl A. Spaatz Award

THE GENERAL CARL A. SPAATZ AWARD is Civil Air Patrol’s highest cadet honor. It is presented to cadets who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, character, fitness, and aerospace education.

Cadets qualify for this prestigious award after devoting an average of five years to progress through sixteen achievements in the CAP Cadet Program. Along the way they develop self-discipline, a strong sense of personal responsibility, the ability to lead and persuade, and the foundation necessary for pursuing a career in aviation, space, or technology.

The final step a cadet must complete to earn the Spaatz Award is a rigorous four-part exam consisting of a challenging physical fitness test, an essay exam testing their moral reasoning, a comprehensive written exam on leadership, and a comprehensive written exam on aerospace education. Upon passing the Spaatz Award exams, the cadet is promoted to the grade of cadet colonel.

The Spaatz Award is named in honor of Carl “Tooey” Spaatz, the first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. One of the giants in the history of airpower, in 1929 Spaatz, together with another pilot, set an important flight endurance record of 150 hours and 40 minutes in the early days of aviation. During World War II, he commanded the Allied air campaign against the Nazis. In the Pacific Theater, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki took place under his command. After retiring from the Air Force, General Spaatz served as the first chairman of the Civil Air Patrol National Board.

On average, only two cadets in one thousand earn the Spaatz Award. Since the award’s inception in 1964, Civil Air Patrol has presented the Spaatz Award to just over 1,500 cadets.

Spaatz Cadets are expected to serve as role models for junior cadets, and become leaders in their communities as they enter adulthood. The first recipient of the Spaatz Award, Michigan’s Douglas C. Roach, became a pilot with the Air Force Thunderbirds. - CAP National Headquarters

 

Award Name Date Unit
1878 Muriel Eaton Mar 2013 KS123 - New Century Composite Squadron
1818 Nathaniel L. Chaverin Dec 2011 KS034 - Kansas City Composite Squadron
1769 Aubry, J, Eaton Aug 2010 KS123 - New Century Composite Squadron
1757 Mitch W. Edwards May 2010 KS001
1705 Nathan F. Scalia Jul 2008 KS123 - New Century Composite Squadron
1630 Daniel P. Metcalf Apr 2007 KS034 - Kansas City Composite Squadron
1582 Arron M. Lindemann Jan 2006 KS123 - New Century Composite Squadron
1229 Samir A. Haggar Oct 1994 14118
1192 Jason A. Mendenhall Oct 1993 14118
1142 Regina M. Bailey Nov 1992 14035
1036 Shawn M. Malone Sep 1992 14029
970 Stephanie A. Edwards Dec 1989 14001
799 Patrick Retz May 1986 14118
776 Mary K. Retz Oct 1985 14118
682 Kevin M. Retz Feb 1984 14118
271 Lawrence P. Retz May 1974 14078
184 Allan B. Nease Oct 1972 14078
121 Stanley A. Sneegas Aug 1970 14061

 

 

© 2024 Civil Air Patrol. All rights reserved.
×