The Peachtree City Falcon Field Composite Squadron GA-116 held a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for their new Falcon’s Nest operations center at the Atlanta Regional Airport in Peachtree City on June 4, 2022.
“This facility will serve as an ops center for Georgia Wing Emergency Services and as a base station for numerous squadron and group activities including cadet orientation flights,” squadron commander, Major James D. King said. “This facility replaces the FEMA trailer that served us well for many years but eventually reached the end of its useful life.
“There are many people who were integral to making this project happen. I would like to thank all of the members, family and friends who supported the project with financial donations. I want to thank all the people who helped with the labor on this project. Many people put in dozens, maybe hundreds of hours bringing this project to completion. I would like to officially dedicate this facility in the name of former member and unit squadron commander, Major Randy Stastny, who brought to life our first ops center on this same site in 2011.”
During Lt. Col. Joel Seidband’s command, as past squadron commander, he rallied the members to begin the project and vision. “The new Falcon’s Nest will expand the capabilities of Georgia Wing Civil Air Patrol in the Peachtree City area. After over a year of planning, construction, furnishing and equipping the facility, we have a new multi—use ops center that should serve us for many years to come,” said Lt. Col. Seidband.
“This project would not have been possible without the dedication and skills of Lt Col Joe Isbell. He was the building project officer, organized volunteers, materials, labor, design and every detail imaginable. His superb building expertise delivered a professional and functional facility that will serve Civil Air Patrol well into the future,” Lt. Col. Isbell said.
GA-116 squadron meets every Thursday night at Providence United Methodist Church, 592 Bernhard Road, Fayetteville, GA 30215. Meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. with formation, and activities at 6:45 p.m. Open to ages 12 and up. Find the unit at https://peachtreecity.cap.gov, www.gocivilairpatrol.com or FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/gacapga116/
Established in 1941, Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and as such is a member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 555 single-engine aircraft and 2,250 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and performs about 90% of all search and rescue operations within the contiguous United States as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.
Often using innovative cellphone forensics and radar analysis software, CAP was credited by the AFRCC with saving 108 lives last year. CAP’s 56,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies.
As a nonprofit organization, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace education using national academic standards-based STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education resources. Members also serve as mentors to over 23,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs.
[Report written and photographed by Candice Serafin, Major, CAP, GA-116 Peachtree City Falcon Field Composite Squadron. Maj. Serafin is Public Affairs Officer in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary.]
