Distinguished Cadets Attending Service Academies
By Zurich Begin, Cadet Second Lieutenant
08 June 2021
Civil Air Patrol is often a lesser-known opportunity for individuals looking at a military career, allowing for teens to get a head start in becoming leaders at a young age. But many of the skills and lessons that CAP provides is reflected by the accomplishments of cadets pursuing a career in national service.
Two cadets from the Medina County Skyhawks Composite Squadron will be attending two U.S. military service academies this year: AnGe Lao and Edward Pinc III of Medina. These schools are among the most competitive and prestigious in the nation, and we couldn't be prouder of these two for their hard work and dedication to their goals.
In interviews with our graduates, they explained how Civil Air Patrol helped them in their journeys.
Cadet Second Lieutenant Edward "Eddie" Pinc III, who has been accepted into the United States Merchant Marine Academy, describes CAP as a benefactor to his already military-pointed lifestyle. “I always knew that I wanted to go into the military and go to a military academy, and Civil Air Patrol really helped me get started on that path,” expressed Pinc, who will be attending the USMMA as a Midshipman destined for a Marine Corps career.
Pinc joined Civil Air Patrol in October of 2017 and served in a variety of important positions as a squadron cadet. As Cadet First Sergeant, he trained and mentored other Cadet Non-Commissioned Officers to help them improve their own leadership abilities, as well as honing their physical abilities through the unit’s physical fitness training program. Pinc also served as a training instructor for new recruits as part of the squadron’s Basic Cadet Training program.
Outside of CAP, Pinc is a champion wrestler for Buckeye High School. He spent his senior year of high school with the Medina County Career Center as an Engineering student.
Cadet Master Sergeant AnGe Lao, who has been accepted into the United States Naval Academy, explains that Civil Air Patrol has allowed her to build many skills that military academies look for in their candidates. “By joining CAP, I gained a lot of important skills, and had many opportunities to work with my peers and be in positions where I could learn what leadership is really like.”
Lao, who joined CAP in 2019, is a native of China and also received her U.S. citizenship that same year. Lao currently serves as the unit’s Cadet Operations Non-Commissioned Officer-in-Charge, coordinating squadron training activities and classes. She also served as the Senior Training Instructor for back-to-back Basic Cadet Training classes in early 2021 as Civil Air Patrol resumed face-to-face activities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, Lao was in charge of helping the squadron to remobilize by assisting in the development and enforcement of precautions to protect members’ health and safety.
Lao, also a student at Buckeye, graduated high school early in hopes of kick-starting her naval career. She is a 2021 recipient of CAP’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Award which recognizes outstanding cadet leadership and patriotism and was recently nominated for an Achievement Award for her exceptional performance as a cadet instructor.
While ten percent of Air Force Academy students have a background in Civil Air Patrol, many cadets elect not to pursue the military route. Nonetheless, CAP has opened opportunities for those cadets who do seek military service, with Skyhawks cadets recently attending military colleges such as The Citadel and Norwich University. CAP cadets who promote to cadet second lieutenant within the program are also eligible to enlist in the military at an E-3 advanced pay grade if pursuing non-officer military careers.
The Skyhawks family would like to congratulate Eddie and AnGe on their accomplishments and wish them well in their futures as military service members.
