Hawk Mountain Ranger School
Encyclopedia
Hawk Mountain Ranger School (HMRS) is a Search and Rescue
school operated by the Pennsylvania Wing of the Civil Air Patrol
(CAP). The school, located in the foothills of the Blue Mountains
, is a National Cadet Special Activity
operated by Pennsylvania Wing; it is the only NCSA not operated by National Headquarters CAP (CAPNHQ).
On September 11, 2004, the school was rededicated as the 'Colonel Phillip Neuweiler Ranger Training Facility' in honor of its founder, Colonel
Phillip Neuweiler.
, approximately a mile south of the Hawk Mountain
Bird Sanctuary.
The school's base camp is located in a clearing off of Pine Swamp Road. However, the school's activities make use of several hundred acres of state game land in the surrounding hills, including several sections of the Appalachian Trail
and accompanying side trails.
, Civil Air Patrol shifted its focus away from patrolling sea lanes and anti-submarine warfare to enlarging its Search and Rescue operations. During the early 1950s, Colonel Phillip Neuweiler saw an increasing need for trained rescue teams for use by Civil Air Patrol's Pennsylvania Wing, which he commanded. He sent several teams to Westover AFB to be instructed by Air Force
Pararescuemen. The Air Force instructors were so inspired by the dedication, motivation, and quality of the students that they called their students 'Rangers.'
Motivated by the success of the training, Col Neuweiler moved the school to a property he owned in Berks County in 1956. During this time, the school was staffed by both Civil Air Patrol members and USAF personnel. In the early 1960s, a cadet staff training program was implemented, and, combined with expertise of CAP personnel, eventually replaced the need for extensive USAF personnel for training.
By the mid 1970s, several similar schools had appeared elsewhere in Civil Air Patrol. Other nationally recognized CAP Ranger schools were held in the Everglades of Florida, at Black River Mississippi, and in Puerto Rico, and a similar program was Washington Wing's Challenger School. All of these schools were called National Emergency Assistance Training schools, or NEAT schools, by CAPNHQ in 1974, and served as the basis for CAP's emergency services training.
In July 1996, Brigadier General Richard Anderson, the CAP National Commander
at the time, visited the Hawk Mountain Ranger School and recognized its lasting contributions, and called it the Harvard School of Search & Rescue.
In the 1998, a lighting strike injured several CAP Rangers at HMRS.
In the spring of 2004, the school began a major infrastructure reconstruction. Trees were cleared at the base camp, eight new operation huts were constructed on raised pedestals, new latrines and shower facilities were constructed. A new gravel road was constructed leading up to the memorial gardens and chapel area. The new construction was dedicated on September 11, 2004, and the training area was rededicated as the 'Col. Phillip Neuweiler Memorial Training Center'. During the Summer School Field Training Exercise of 2005, base camp staff members built the chapel in only three days.
On April 14, 2007, members of HMRS broke ground on a new 60 feet (18.3 m) climbing and rappelling tower. By 7 July the tower was mostly completed, but construction was halted for the duration of the Summer School. After graduation of the 2007 class, work on the tower was resumed, and the tower was completed by August.
The school staff prides themselves as being the cheapest of the National Cadet Special Activities offered by the Civil Air Patrol, and goes through tremendous efforts to remain cost-effective.
Upon arriving at Summer School, cadets are assigned to one of various squadrons. Each squadron has a slightly different curriculum; some are specially tailored to emphasize various areas of search and rescue (such as medical training or high-angle rescues), while others instruct students on a broader base of search and rescue skills.
After a few days at and around the school grounds, the entire school, goes on a multi-day field training exercise (FTX) to put recently learned skills into action. Most training is conducted on the nearby Appalachian Trail
, but some training is conducted off-site at fire training facilities or other nearby locations.
Upon returning from the FTX, cadets are administered tests to achieve higher Ranger grades. After testing, squadrons perform skits that dramatize their experiences at Hawk, and a graduation ceremony is held prior to cadet's departures.
Two sessions of Winter School are offered: one at Hawk Mountain, and one on the western side of Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh a few weeks later.
Teams of Rangers compete against each other in a simulated Search and Rescue scenario. During the competition, teams are evaluated on such areas as: individual equipment, team equipment, search procedures, communications, physical fitness, navigation, rescue and evacuation, leadership, fire building, and other search and rescue related skills. Winners of this event typically receive a monetary donation from the school for the purchase of team equipment.
First Aid Weekend
The first aid weekend typically offers courses in First Aid
, CPR, and AED
use. Graduates are certified by the Red Cross.
Ranger Staff Training Weekends
Eight staff training weekends are held throughout the spring to train cadets to serve as staff members for schools. Cadets must participate in all eight weekends; the first introductory weekend is often held at Fort Indiantown Gap
, while the remaining seven are held "on the mountain."
Navigation Weekend
Navigation weekend is usually held in early September. It was originally created by John McGuire, former commander of CAP Pennsylvania Squadron 109, as the Escape and Evasion program. This weekend instructs students in map reading, navigation, compass use, course plotting, mobility, aeronautical navigation, and team mobility.
Air Crew Survival Training
This course, offered simultaneously with the Navigation weekend, instructs aircrew in the topics of survivability, aircraft survival kits, shelter building, signaling, water procurement, fire building, and the mental aspects associated with survival.
Emergency Services Weekend
ES weekend, held in the mid Spring, is an introductory course to the fundamentals of Emergency Services. Students learn a variety of skills, including: types of searches, search lines procedures, basic map and compass skills, litter
and stokes
tie-in and carries, operation of radio direction finder
equipment, equipment needed for basic search & rescue, land navigation, basic health and medical skills, and knots.
GOALS Krista Griesacker Memorial Adventure Race
This 12-Hour adventure race is held annually in honor of a former staff cadet. Krista Greisacker had spent many years training and instructing at HMRS in the 1980s. The race encompasses orienteering
, cycling
, mountain biking
, canoeing
, and rappelling. Proceeds from this race are donated to improving the facilities at HMRS.
The first such expedition was to the Snake Creek Ranger Training Area in Miramar, Florida
in 2004.
In 2005, HMRS re-introduced a Staff Training squadron during their summer school to allows returning members from distant states the opportunity to become Ranger Staff.
they may know as well as create some of their own.
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
school operated by the Pennsylvania Wing of the Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
(CAP). The school, located in the foothills of the Blue Mountains
Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania)
Blue Mountain is a ridge that forms the eastern edge of the Appalachian mountain range in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It cuts across the eastern half of the state from New Jersey to Maryland, providing a distinct boundary between a number of Pennsylvania's geographical and cultural regions...
, is a National Cadet Special Activity
National Cadet Special Activities of the Civil Air Patrol
National Cadet Special Activities are Cadet Programs conducted by Civil Air Patrol. NCSAs are designed to give cadets direct hands on experience with various aspects of the Civil Air Patrol program and provide meaningful insight into several aviation-related careers. There are approximately 30...
operated by Pennsylvania Wing; it is the only NCSA not operated by National Headquarters CAP (CAPNHQ).
On September 11, 2004, the school was rededicated as the 'Colonel Phillip Neuweiler Ranger Training Facility' in honor of its founder, Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Phillip Neuweiler.
Location
The School is located on 77 acres (311,608.2 m²) of CAP corporate property Kempton, Pennsylvania. The school is on the side of the Blue MountainsBlue Mountain (Pennsylvania)
Blue Mountain is a ridge that forms the eastern edge of the Appalachian mountain range in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It cuts across the eastern half of the state from New Jersey to Maryland, providing a distinct boundary between a number of Pennsylvania's geographical and cultural regions...
, approximately a mile south of the Hawk Mountain
Hawk Mountain
Hawk Mountain is a mountain ridge, part of the Blue Mountain Ridge in the Appalachian Mountain chain, located in central-eastern Pennsylvania near Reading and Allentown. The area includes 13,000 acres of protected private and public land, including the 2,600 acre Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.The River...
Bird Sanctuary.
The school's base camp is located in a clearing off of Pine Swamp Road. However, the school's activities make use of several hundred acres of state game land in the surrounding hills, including several sections of the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
and accompanying side trails.
History
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Civil Air Patrol shifted its focus away from patrolling sea lanes and anti-submarine warfare to enlarging its Search and Rescue operations. During the early 1950s, Colonel Phillip Neuweiler saw an increasing need for trained rescue teams for use by Civil Air Patrol's Pennsylvania Wing, which he commanded. He sent several teams to Westover AFB to be instructed by Air Force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
Pararescuemen. The Air Force instructors were so inspired by the dedication, motivation, and quality of the students that they called their students 'Rangers.'
Motivated by the success of the training, Col Neuweiler moved the school to a property he owned in Berks County in 1956. During this time, the school was staffed by both Civil Air Patrol members and USAF personnel. In the early 1960s, a cadet staff training program was implemented, and, combined with expertise of CAP personnel, eventually replaced the need for extensive USAF personnel for training.
By the mid 1970s, several similar schools had appeared elsewhere in Civil Air Patrol. Other nationally recognized CAP Ranger schools were held in the Everglades of Florida, at Black River Mississippi, and in Puerto Rico, and a similar program was Washington Wing's Challenger School. All of these schools were called National Emergency Assistance Training schools, or NEAT schools, by CAPNHQ in 1974, and served as the basis for CAP's emergency services training.
In July 1996, Brigadier General Richard Anderson, the CAP National Commander
National Commanders of the Civil Air Patrol
Since 1975, the National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol is the senior elected official within the Civil Air Patrol. From 1941 until August 1975, the National Commander of CAP was an appointed active duty USAAF or USAF officer, typically a General Officer. In September 1975, this became a...
at the time, visited the Hawk Mountain Ranger School and recognized its lasting contributions, and called it the Harvard School of Search & Rescue.
In the 1998, a lighting strike injured several CAP Rangers at HMRS.
In the spring of 2004, the school began a major infrastructure reconstruction. Trees were cleared at the base camp, eight new operation huts were constructed on raised pedestals, new latrines and shower facilities were constructed. A new gravel road was constructed leading up to the memorial gardens and chapel area. The new construction was dedicated on September 11, 2004, and the training area was rededicated as the 'Col. Phillip Neuweiler Memorial Training Center'. During the Summer School Field Training Exercise of 2005, base camp staff members built the chapel in only three days.
On April 14, 2007, members of HMRS broke ground on a new 60 feet (18.3 m) climbing and rappelling tower. By 7 July the tower was mostly completed, but construction was halted for the duration of the Summer School. After graduation of the 2007 class, work on the tower was resumed, and the tower was completed by August.
The Ranger Program
The Civil Air Patrol Ranger program was created at HMRS in the 1960s. A Ranger must advance through five classes to become an Expert Ranger. While attending the school, every student has the opportunity for advancement by proving their mastery of various crafts to a ranger of a higher class. To date, only 236 people have been awarded Expert Ranger tapes, the highest class of ranger. A running traditions holds that, upon receiving their Expert Ranger rating, the new Expert is thrown into a deep section of the stream that runs through the Obstacle Course at HMRS.The Medic Program
As a dedicated spin off of the Ranger Program, a Hawk Mountain is also home to the CAP Ranger's Field Medic program. This program is designed to further prepare Rangers in the areas of advanced wilderness medical care. Field Medic trainees learn not only how to care for members of their team by ensuring proper sanitation and hygiene, but also about trauma assessment and mass casualty triage procedures.Curriculum
Several Courses are offered at the school. Course durations range from afternoon activities to week and a half long adventures.The school staff prides themselves as being the cheapest of the National Cadet Special Activities offered by the Civil Air Patrol, and goes through tremendous efforts to remain cost-effective.
Summer School
The Summer School is the largest training session at the school, and is offered in mid-July. The summer school is the nationally recognized cadet activity.Upon arriving at Summer School, cadets are assigned to one of various squadrons. Each squadron has a slightly different curriculum; some are specially tailored to emphasize various areas of search and rescue (such as medical training or high-angle rescues), while others instruct students on a broader base of search and rescue skills.
After a few days at and around the school grounds, the entire school, goes on a multi-day field training exercise (FTX) to put recently learned skills into action. Most training is conducted on the nearby Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
, but some training is conducted off-site at fire training facilities or other nearby locations.
Upon returning from the FTX, cadets are administered tests to achieve higher Ranger grades. After testing, squadrons perform skits that dramatize their experiences at Hawk, and a graduation ceremony is held prior to cadet's departures.
Winter School
Winter School is a cold-weather survival school typically held during the month of February. Students learn through first hand experience how to conduct Search and Rescue in cold-weather environments. Advanced students learn about shelter construction and how to survive in a cold environment with minimal equipment.Two sessions of Winter School are offered: one at Hawk Mountain, and one on the western side of Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh a few weeks later.
Other Schools
Ranger Team CompetitionTeams of Rangers compete against each other in a simulated Search and Rescue scenario. During the competition, teams are evaluated on such areas as: individual equipment, team equipment, search procedures, communications, physical fitness, navigation, rescue and evacuation, leadership, fire building, and other search and rescue related skills. Winners of this event typically receive a monetary donation from the school for the purchase of team equipment.
First Aid Weekend
The first aid weekend typically offers courses in First Aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
, CPR, and AED
AED
AED may refer to:* Anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, a genetic disorder* Automated external defibrillator, a portable electronic device that diagnoses and can correct arrhythmia of the heart....
use. Graduates are certified by the Red Cross.
Ranger Staff Training Weekends
Eight staff training weekends are held throughout the spring to train cadets to serve as staff members for schools. Cadets must participate in all eight weekends; the first introductory weekend is often held at Fort Indiantown Gap
Fort Indiantown Gap
Fort Indiantown Gap, also referred to as "The Gap" or "FIG", is a census-designated place and U.S. Army post primarily located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. A portion of the installation is located in eastern Dauphin County...
, while the remaining seven are held "on the mountain."
Navigation Weekend
Navigation weekend is usually held in early September. It was originally created by John McGuire, former commander of CAP Pennsylvania Squadron 109, as the Escape and Evasion program. This weekend instructs students in map reading, navigation, compass use, course plotting, mobility, aeronautical navigation, and team mobility.
Air Crew Survival Training
This course, offered simultaneously with the Navigation weekend, instructs aircrew in the topics of survivability, aircraft survival kits, shelter building, signaling, water procurement, fire building, and the mental aspects associated with survival.
Emergency Services Weekend
ES weekend, held in the mid Spring, is an introductory course to the fundamentals of Emergency Services. Students learn a variety of skills, including: types of searches, search lines procedures, basic map and compass skills, litter
Stretcher
A stretcher is a medical device used to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another. It is a simple type of litter, and still called by that name in some cases....
and stokes
Litter (rescue basket)
A litter is a stretcher or basket designed to be used where there are obstacles to movement or other hazards: for example, in confined spaces, on slopes, in wooded terrain. Typically it is shaped to accommodate an adult in a face up position and it is used in search and rescue operations. The...
tie-in and carries, operation of radio direction finder
Radio direction finder
A radio direction finder is a device for finding the direction to a radio source. Due to low frequency propagation characteristic to travel very long distances and "over the horizon", it makes a particularly good navigation system for ships, small boats, and aircraft that might be some distance...
equipment, equipment needed for basic search & rescue, land navigation, basic health and medical skills, and knots.
GOALS Krista Griesacker Memorial Adventure Race
This 12-Hour adventure race is held annually in honor of a former staff cadet. Krista Greisacker had spent many years training and instructing at HMRS in the 1980s. The race encompasses orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
, and rappelling. Proceeds from this race are donated to improving the facilities at HMRS.
Hawk Mountain Distance Learning Center
In an effort to rekindle interests in the Ranger program, several staff members from HMRS started the 'Hawk Mountain Distance Learning Center'(HMDLC). The HMDLC would send instructors and materials to other states interested in starting a school, and would provide logistical support to get the school running.The first such expedition was to the Snake Creek Ranger Training Area in Miramar, Florida
Miramar, Florida
Miramar is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city was named after the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba. As of the 2010 census, the population was 122,041...
in 2004.
In 2005, HMRS re-introduced a Staff Training squadron during their summer school to allows returning members from distant states the opportunity to become Ranger Staff.
The Hawk Mountain Curse
Physical Fitness
Hawk Mountain Ranger School is physically demanding. Students are expected to carry both individual and team equipment on multiple treks through the backcountry. As such, the school offers various programs designed to prepare cadets for the rigors of the school.Obstacle Course
Adjacent the parade field is an obstacle course that is maintained by the school. Daily inspections of the course ensures the course is prepared well before cadets begin traversing the course.Three Ball Soccer
A traditional Physical Training event at the school is Three Ball Soccer. Played in the parade field, this variation of the game Soccer pits one team against another, with three balls in play simultaneously. Teams are allowed to field as many players as they are able. Games are officiated by Ranger Staff, who may join either team at their own discretion.Squadron Runs
As an alternative to Three Ball Soccer, squadrons occasionally run up and down Pine Swamp Road. Cadets are encouraged to call jodiesMilitary cadence
In the armed services, a military cadence or cadence call is a traditional call-and-response work song sung by military personnel while running or marching...
they may know as well as create some of their own.
See also
- Hawk Mountain Scout ReservationHawk Mountain Scout ReservationThe Hawk Mountain Council serves Boy Scouts in Berks, Schuylkill, and Carbon counties in Pennsylvania. The council has headquarters near Leesport, PA.The Council was formed in 1970 with the merger of the Appalachian Trail and Daniel Boone councils....
- National Blue Beret
- National Emergency Services Academy
- United States Air Force Rescue Coordination Center