August 14, 2006 CAP To Patrol Border

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By Russ Niles, Newswriter, Editor

The Civil Air Patrol has been pressed into service to conduct "reconnaissance" missions along the border between Arizona and Mexico. Three CAP Cessna 182s and pilots from Nevada will head south to fly the missions, which will be in support of government border-patrol efforts. The CAP crews have no authority to try and stop anyone trying to sneak across the border but they will be acting as eyes and ears for the feds. CAP volunteers often have lengthy military and law enforcement experience. The duty will rotate among Nevada CAP units, which have a total of 450 volunteers and 10 aircraft between them. CAP spokesman 1st Lt. Scott Lilley told the Reno Gazette-Journal that there's a difference between surveillance (which they're not doing) and reconnaissance (which they are). "Surveillance is following one individual or specific group," said "Reconnaissance is nonspecific. We don't look for a car. We look for the car wreck."