Staff

Major Long’s role as the Program Director provides continuity between programs. He establishes goals for each event and each cycle, and is the main exercise director in the field. As the activity director, he works with the wing operations staff to educate them on the capabilities of the students and graduates, and secure mission numbers for the mission participation requirement of the training. With the addition of the Team Leader course, Major Long serves as the chief instructor/evaluator for the members who will lead teams on actual operations. The move to scenario based training was due in large part to his desire to accelerate the experience curve for these members who will not have to wait many years over many actual missions to develop the insights that Major Long has gained over his career in CAP operations.

Although he went to school at Georgia Tech and Auburn, he was born and raised in Nebraska, and is a lifelong Cornhusker fan.

During his volunteer CAP career, he has served in 4 squadrons in 3 wings in 2 regions: as a cadet in the 88th Sioux Composite Sq, NE Wing, where he earned the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Award in 1997; as a Deputy Commander at the 78th and 91st Cadet Squadrons, and later as Director of Senior Training and Cadet Programs in IA Wing. In 2002, he moved to Alabama to work at National Headquarters. Since then, he as served as the Deputy Commander of Cadets for AL-032 as well as the Director of Cadet and Senior Training and the Director of Plans and Programs for Alabama Wing. He has 16 encampments in 6 wings and 3 regions under his belt as well as 5 National Special Activities, including the 50th exchange year of the International Air Cadet Exchange in 1996.

Major Curry has staffed the FTX cycle since 2002 as the Operations Officer. A self-described "idea man" his role is to oversee the implementation of the FTX Operations Plan and advise the Director on matters of policy and quality control. Working through the cadet Executive Officer, Major Curry oversees the infrastructure of the FTX by arranging classrooms and technical support, helps program the training scenarios, and serves as a lecturer in addition to providing feedback about the FTX's ability to prepare Alabama Wing members for real world operations.

Major Curry's operational specialties include Ground Branch Director and he has worked on several Presidential Disasters, including work as an Agency Liaison during the recovery of Space Shuttle Columbia, and CAP's responses to hurricanes in 2003, 2004, and 2005.

Major Curry is originally from Sioux City Iowa, and graduated from the University of Iowa. He pulls for the Hawkeyes every chance he gets.

His main roles in the FTX program are serving as the Lead Field Training Advisor and Safety Officer. The field training advisors act as councilors to the teams in the field, debriefing teams and team leaders so they can take lessons and experience from each activity. In addition, FTAs also aid in the setup and implementation of all training and exercises. Since the role is not a science, the program draws the most talented senior members possible to serve in this position; those who have real world and life experience to share with the teams. The experience they gain is second only to the safety of the members as they operate. Over its 9 year history, the FTX program has enjoyed an incredible safety record while maintaining a quality program. This is due in no small part to Lt Col Gaston’s work as the program’s safety officer. In that capacity, he is responsible for educating students and staff about Operational Risk Management, as well as ensuring a safe training environment.

Lt Col Gaston is a retired USAF Lt Col with over 28 years experience, most of which was in land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and education and training. He was commissioned from the USAF Academy in 1977 and pulls for the Falcons every time they play.

He has been involved in the FTX program since the 2001-2002 cycle, and has staffed the activity since 2003. He aids the Field Training Advisors in their duties, as well as handling the medical duties for the program. The medical officer’s first role is to assist the FTX students and staff in the event of an injury or mishap. For this reason the person in this role must be a professional first and a CAP member second; the FTX program is fortunate to have a person that meets both criteria. The staff medic's secondary role is that of an educator; bringing industry standards for patient packaging and movement; occupational safety and bloodborn pathogens; and support to Emergency Medical Services to our training events.

Captain Ogilvie is a firefighter by trade, and he holds certifications as a Hazardous Materials Technician, Fire Instructor I, Fire Fighter I/II and Emergency Medical Technician.

She has also attended NESA as a student, graduating from the Basic GSAR, Basic ICSS, and Advanced ICSS. In recent years, she has staffed NESA doing logistics, communication, training, and administrative tasks.

He serves the FTX program as a field training advisor. He is responsible for advising and assisting teams in the field, as well as setting up and implementing training scenarios. Lt Ernest also serves a tech role developing software to track student progress through the required tasks and maintains of the FTX Program’s web site.

Lt Ernest, originally from Nebraska, grew up in southern California and moved to Alabama in 1990. He has worked with computers for years and runs his own computer consulting company.