Lt. Col. Jerry Dewitt receives the award from NER Commander Col. Jack Ozer.

Lt. Col. Jerry Dewitt, Recruiting Officer and Government Relations Advisor for Maine Wing, was recently awarded the George Texido Legislative Officer of the Year Award at the group’s Northeast Regional Conference. Dewitt assists Maine Wing with its cadet programs, recruiting opportunities, and contact with the Maine Legislature. He has recruited 20 members of Maine’s State Legislature and nine representatives of Maine’s Congressional Delegation. Additionally, he is involved at the Squadron Level as an Assistant Aerospace Education Officer and Assistant PAO.

The Maine Wing Civil Air Patrol is Maine’s civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. Founded in 1941, CAP originally assisted the War Department by defending the coastline of the United States during World War II. Two of those Coastal Patrol bases were located in Maine, Base 19 in Portland and Base 20 in Trenton. The Civil Air Patrol was federally chartered as a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in 1946.

Today the group’s mission is to serve America by developing the nation’s youth; accomplishing local, state, and national missions in Air Search and Rescue, Disaster Relief, and Homeland Security; and educating citizenry to ensure the nation’s air and space supremacy.