Matthew Jackson, a senior at Hopewell Valley Central High School, was invited to the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Monday, Nov. 9, to receive the General Carl A. Spaatz Award, the highest rank in the Civil Air Patrol program. He was the 2,000 cadet to achieve this rank in the more than 50 years of the program.
CAP has more than a dozen units in New Jersey. The Hopewell Valley (Twin Pine Composite) squadron, comprised of more than 40 cadets, operates out of Trenton-Mercer Airport. CAP offers young people 12 to 21 years old the opportunity to learn about and practice aviation, leadership and service to the community and nation under the supervision of adult members.
The Spaatz award was established in 1964 and is the Civil Air Patrol’s highest cadet honor. Cadets qualify after devoting an average of five years to progress through 16 achievements in the CAP’s cadet program, culminating in a rigorous four-part exam that includes a physical fitness test, essay exam on moral reasoning, comprehensive written exam on leadership, and a comprehensive written exam on aerospace education.
Upon passing all Spaatz award exams, the cadet is promoted to the rank of cadet colonel. Since its inception, only 2,003 cadets have earned the Spaatz award — on average, two out of every 1,000.
Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh III invited Matthew to the Pentagon to receive the award in recognition of the CAP program.
“We’re recognizing Matt as he joins an elite group,” Gen. Welsh said. “Just 0.2 — not 2.2 — percent of Civil Air Patrol cadets earn the Spaatz award.”
Matthew is pursuing admission to the Air Force and Naval academies.
Matthew, who lives in Hopewell Borough, serves in the Twin Pine Composite Squadron of the New Jersey Wing, Civil Air Patrol, in West Trenton.
