CAP is the Civil Air Patrol. It’s not the ROTC of the AF. I’ve been in the organization since 1971. It’s 3 missions include a cadet program (training teens to be effective leaders and members of their communities—some do join the military; most do not; an aerospace education program to teach members and the surrounding communities about air flight (I earned my Private pilot’s license through CAP at 17 yo when I was a cadet);; and a search and rescue program—CAP has its own fleet of Cessnas operated by several squadrons within each state. It also runs ground search missions. I spent most of my cadet years as part of a ground search team and have been involved in volunteer SAR (now with a K9) for all of my adult life.

CAP is modeled on the AF for structure (flights, squadrons, groups, and wings), uses the AF grade structure with adults using the AF grade insignia and the cadet program a modified version of the enlisted grade and the ROTC grade system. CAP is the USAF’s auxiliary—but it’s a civilian organization. It’s HQ is located at Maxwells AFB (it uses one building on the base), and it receives a few million dollars a year through Congress to help defray some organizational costs. Most funds are generated locally through fund raising. No military or government service credit is accrued through CAP though cadets can earn a couple grades through the enlisted armed forces if they join having attained certain grades in CAP.

There may be some nefarious activities going on in CAP connected with the government, but of the more than 60K nationwide members, only a handful of members would be involved. It’s a non-profit service organization; tends toward conservative though all are allowed to join. It does have an anti child abuse part of the training for both cadet and senior members (though when I was a cadet in the 70s, hazing did exist and it attracted predators like any youth organization—screening and training and policies have eliminated most occurrences.