Freshman Alecia Hagman last month received the highest award for Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadets in a ceremony in her home state of New Hampshire.
Cadets qualify for the General Carl A. Spaatz Award after they complete the entire CAP program and pass a rigorous examination. Receiving the award leads to a promotion to the rank of cadet colonel. Only one in every 500 CAP cadets receives the award.
"It's a pretty big honor. I was only the 1,768th nationwide ever to win the award, so it feels pretty special," Hagman said.
The Civil Air Patrol is a civilian auxiliary branch of the U.S. Air Force that trains youth cadets and provides education about aerospace and military leadership. Many CAP cadets go on to join the United States Air Force or other branches of the military.
Hagman was also the first cadet from her squadron, the Seacoast Composite Squadron, ever to win the award, she said. Founded in 1941, it is the oldest continuously run CAP squadron.
Hagman's former CAP commander, Captain Blain Cote, praised her accomplishment.
"Every CAP commander wants to see their cadets succeed, and you cannot do any better than Spaatz, so it was a big deal not just for me, but for our entire squadron," Cote told the Daily.
The Spaatz Award examination consists of written tests on aerospace and military leadership, an essay exam and a physical assessment. It is named for Carl Spaatz, the first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force and the first chairman of the Civil Air Patrol National Board. Spaatz during World War II led the Allies' air campaign and commanded the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Hagman said she took the exam in August and was notified that she had won the award shortly thereafter. The ceremony was held Jan. 13 because Hagman was at Tufts and could not return home to attend before then. New Hampshire State Rep. Chris Nevins (R-Rockingham) presented her with the award at an official ceremony in Portsmouth.
Hagman said her participation in CAP was a formative experience.
"I was a Civil Air Patrol cadet for five years and it really helped me learn and develop my character. It's a really empowering program," Hagman said. "Where else can sixteen-year-old kids have such a big impact?"
Hagman is currently enrolled in the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program at Tufts, for which she said the CAP program left her well prepared.
"It was definitely great training," Hagman said. ROTC is maybe a little more intense than CAP was. However, I feel like CAP gave me a leg up in terms of just understanding what military culture is about."
Cote said Hagman's success in the Civil Air Patrol and her current involvement in AFROTC came as no surprise.
"Alecia is very focused. She knows what she wants and she knows how to get it. She doesn't hang back," Cote said. "She always said she was going to go to Mars someday, and I don't doubt it one bit."
