HOUSTON, Texas – Saturday night, Feb. 27, 2010, Group IV, Texas Wing held their annual awards banquet at the Tracy Gee Community Center in Houston. About a hundred CAP members, relatives and friends came to see and share on this friendly occasion. The master of ceremonies for the award ceremony was the newly-promoted Group IV Chief of Staff, Capt. Jerry Green.

To start the proceedings, Group IV Commander Lt. Col. Dennis Cima presented the Brigadier General Billy Mitchell Award to Cadet 2nd Lt. Evan Phillips, a member of the 7-6 Air Composite Squadron in Conroe.

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[1] Group IV Commander Lt. Col. Dennis Cima greets the audience. [2] Cadet 2nd Lt. Evan Phillips gets the Brigadier General Billy Mitchell Award Certificate. [3] Capt. Bob Beeley accepts the Legislative Officer of the Year Award. [4] Maj. Risher Lewis receives the Logistician of the Year Award.

After the meal, Lt. Col. Dennis Cima asked the audience, “Who has been in the Civil Air Patrol the longest?” The answer was Lt. Col. Allen Maxwell, a member for 53 years, who is the Air Maintenance Officer for both Group IV and the Hobby Senior Squadron. Then he asked, “Who has been in the shortest time?” Eight people stood up. “A year?” One of them sat down. “Less than six months?” Two sat down. “Three months?” A mother, father and three children remained standing. Their youngest, Cadet Airman Chase Farmacka, had joined in November, 2009.

With Capt. Green calling out the names, Lt Col. Cima presented the certificates. These were:

Communicator of the Year - Lt. Col. Terry Alexander

Chaplain of the Year - Maj. Alfred Climie

Logistician of the Year - Maj. Risher Lewis

Senior Member of the Year - Maj. Gerald Landis

Legislative Officer of the Year - Capt. Bob Beeley

Aerospace Officer of the Year - Capt. James Shawn

Cadet Programs of the Year - Capt. Priscella Bowen

Composite Squadron of the Year - Capt. Val Rose

Staff of the Year - Capt. Bob Beeley and Capt. Jerry Green

Public Affairs Officer of the Year – 1st Lt. David McCollum

Cadet of the Year - C/Capt. Daniel Shellhouse

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[5] Lt. Col. Terry Alexander is presented with the Communicator of the Year Award. [6] The Cadet of the Year Award is presented to Cadet Capt. Daniel Shellhouse. [7] Lt. Col. Dennis Cima holds two original Walt Disney drawings, prepared for a CAP production many years ago.

As he held the two unusual gifts he was about to present to the joint Staff of the Year awardees, Lt. Col. Cima said, ”These are original drawings from a Walt Disney movie project about the Civil Air Patrol, drawn many years ago.”

The Cadet of the Year, Cadet Shellhouse, said, “My goal is to earn the Spaatz Award and go to the Air Force Academy.” He is the son of Capt. Glenn A. Shellhouse, CAP, Deputy Commander for Cadets and Public Affairs Officer for the Marauder Composite Squadron.

Maj. Robert Brecount, CAP, Texas Wing PAO