Two teenage cadet members of Jesse Jones Composite Squadron 304 of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) have been recognized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). 1st Lt. Jurnee M. Acosta was named Outstanding Officer, and Technical Sgt. Collin J. Stritch was named Outstanding Non-Commissioned Officer. They received medals and certificates on May 15 from Bruce McCullough, commander of the Lititz Springs VFW Post 1463. The ceremony was held during an extra meeting of Jesse Jones Composite Squadron 304 at the Venture Jets hangar at Lancaster Airport.

Acosta joined CAP in 2017 and serves as the squadron's cadet commander. She received the Gen. Billy Mitchell Award in 2020; has attended two encampments at Fort Indiantown Gap, in 2017 and 2019; and has received one of nine orientation flights in CAP corporate aircraft. She also has two brothers in the CAP cadet organization. Outside CAP, Acosta is a licensed cosmetologist and attends Lancaster Bible College, where she is majoring in health care management and maintains a 3.7 grade point average.

Stritch is the element leader for new recruits and the cadet recruiting non-commissioned officer. Since joining in 2019, he has also flown in one orientation flight and was awarded the Wright Brothers Achievement Award in 2020. He recently participated in the Air Force-authorized Philadelphia Vaccine Management mission. He is currently a freshman at Lancaster Catholic High School, where most of his classes are honors courses. He is active in music and serves as an athletic trainer.

The squadron offers a Cadet Program for young men and women ages 12 to 21, as well as an Emergency Services and Aerospace Education Program for its members and the public. When COVID restrictions are lifted, members of the public may attend meetings and learn what CAP has to offer. The meetings begin at 7 p.m. most Mondays at the Venture Jets hangar off Millport Road at Lititz Pike. The squadron is named for local aviation pioneer and wartime CAP member Jesse Jones.

CAP is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. It is involved in search-and-rescue missions, homeland security, disaster relief, drug interdiction missions, aerospace education and mentoring through its Cadet Programs. With free teacher membership, educators can receive free STEM kits from the U.S. Air Force. Visit http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/aerospace-education/for-educators for more details.

To learn more about CAP, visit http://www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com. Information on the local squadron is available at http://www.jessejones.cap.gov.