Civil Air Patrol cadets accepted to academy

About 60 people honored three Douglas County Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol cadets who were accepted to military academies.

Carson High School seniors Chad Shroy and Andrew Stephenson have been accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and Incline Village resident Grace Higgins has a full ride at U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The cadets attended an event at the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center at Minden-Tahoe Airport on Tuesday.

Shroy, 18, and a fifth-year cadet, is looking for more opportunities to fly or join the Marines.

"There are lots of opportunities in the Navy," he said. "I'm interested in the military aspect to serve my country."

To earn glider solo wings, the cadets spend at least 20 hours flying a glider, 10 hours in ground training and make three solo flights.

"It was made possible in part because of the Civil Air Patrol and because of the Minden Soaring Club," said Stephenson, 18.

"I want to fly in the Navy or join the Marine Corps and be an officer. I really love flying and I'd really like to do it in the military - it's the two best things I can do."

Grace Higgins' acceptance to Colorado Springs is one of 1,600 scholarships offered by the Air Force Academy.

After four years of military training and flying aircraft, as well as studies in leadership and management, Higgins will be a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.

Higgins did her first solo at 15 and is a certified commercial glider pilot.

"That means I can take paying passengers in a glider," she said.

Higgins started flying four years ago and tries to spend as much time as possible flying.

On summer breaks, she flew as much as four days a week, spending some nights at the Truckee or Minden-Tahoe airports.

She begins basic training in Colorado Springs on June 28 and school studies commence in fall.

"I'll be working on my radio instrument rating," Higgins said. "I'm looking at doing foreign studies, economics, French, history and law. Maybe an engineering program. I'm signing up for a career."