KINGSFORD, Mich. (WZMQ) – In a commendable ceremony at the Kingsford Armory, 3 high-flying student cadets from Kingsford and Norway schools were promoted yesterday evening in the Civilian Auxiliary of the Air Force. Aiden Niemi and Madison Kaminski of Kingsford rose from Airman First Class to Senior Airman, while in an exceptional achievement, Mark Street, a sophomore from Norway-Vulcan area schools, was promoted from Chief Master Sergeant to 2nd Lieutenant.
The newly-pinned Mark Street expressed his enthusiasm, stating, ‘Now I, instead of leading the squadron, get to take command a bit, and start making sure the orders are executed correctly.’ He highlighted their diverse training, from aerospace knowledge to leadership and character development. Captain Rick Louys, Assistant Director of Safety for the MI Wing and Dickinson Commander, oversaw the ceremony and remarked, “I believe this might be the first pinning-on ceremony, where a big celebration is done simply for putting on the rank as opposed to a ceremony for the actual handing of the award certificate.”
There are a total of 4 Upper Peninsula Civil Air Squadrons, emphasizing the youth cadet program and emergency services.
“There is a squadron in Sault Ste. Marie. There’s a squadron in Gwinn and there’s a squadron in Houghton,” informed Captain Louys.
Captain Louys encouraged interested individuals to join, “We’re eagerly looking for both senior members and cadets, so anyone who’s interested should reach out, and we’d absolutely love to have them,” added Captain Louys.
Senator Ed McBroom, who carried out the national anthem during the promotion ceremony, shared words of encouragement with the young cadets. In an interview with WZMQ, he shared,
“I wanted to talk to them about how much of our community has a problem with people who don’t want to give service, unless they can get a lot of credit. And people are looking for opportunities to do something big, especially when we’re young we’re like ‘well. I can’t wait to make a big name for myself and be a hero.’ And life for most of us is not ever going to be that way. It’s about service, it’s about serving other people, it’s about not looking for accolades from here, but looking for accolades from heaven.”
He acknowledged that it’s this kind of selfless attitude that sets service members apart.
“I started the speech with a quote from Kennedy about what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country and this, the civil air patrol, is kind of ancillary to our military, into that world. So it really applies to folks who are willing to volunteer to serve in this defense of our country like that,” shared Senator McBroom.
He emphasized the importance of service, stating, “We build stronger communities that way when we give of ourselves, when we have servant leadership.” McBroom underscored the significance of service, especially in the Upper Peninsula, where there is a need for people to join fire departments, EMT squads, and civic organizations.
“We are desperate in the Upper Peninsula right now for people to join our fire departments, join our EMT squads, participate in our civic organizations, in our veterans organizations. And this is a group of young people who are already doing that little bit of service. And I wanted to encourage them. Keep doing the service, even if you don’t achieve a high rank. Even if you don’t achieve some big hero thing, make the right decisions during those tough times in life, and be a part of our community in a brave way that might not receive a lot of recognition, but helps make us a stronger place,” stated Senator McBroom.
The promotion ceremony was attended virtually by other Civil Air Patrol members, and other community leaders, including 5 members of the Dickinson County Board of Commissioners and two local Judges. Judge Julie LaCoste gave her congratulations to the students, and Judge Thomas Slagle performed the swearing-in during the promotion, marking a special event for the local community. Senator McBroom expressed his pride in seeing Mark Street achieve 2nd Lieutenant, and concluded, “It was great to see Mark receive such a high rank and recognition along with the other two promotions, just a really special event. This is the first time I’ve ever been part of the civil air patrol promotion ceremony, and it was a real honor to be here to see their success.”
The Civil Air Patrol, with its missions in aerospace education, emergency services, and the cadet program, continues to make a positive impact on the community. The Civil Air Cadets meet at the Kingsford Armory every Sunday from 6-8 PM CST, contributing to the development of high moral character in youth ages 12-18. The Senior meeting takes place from 5-6 pm CST.
Those interested in finding out more about the civil air patrol, visit:
GoCivilAirPatrol.com
Those in Dickinson County considering volunteering their service can reach out to Captain Louys at
rlouys@cap.gov
