Cadet 1st Lt. Svetlana Ehlers is a student who is visually impaired, but keeps strong confidence, even in the face of adversity. In the Civil Air Patrol, she worked her way up through the school even after facing people who did not believe in her.
The Civil Air Patrol is a non-profit that serves as the official civilian auxiliary to the United States Air Force. It is made up of volunteers geared toward aviation. The CAP specializes in search and rescue, disaster relief, aerospace education and cadet programs
After joining the Platte Valley squadron at the age of 12 in 2016, Ehlers immediately faced problems when the other cadets were unsure how to help another cadet who has a disability. She had also been adopted “from an international orphanage three years before and was very delayed,” Ehlers explained.
She described a time during one physical training meeting where the cadet leading it told her she could sit out due to her disability. Ehlers, on the other hand, would not take this as an answer. “The cadet could not argue and tried his best to describe the exercises. After a lot of similar conversations, cadets who are around me have developed a culture where they all describe the exercises verbally to all cadets,” she said.
This change in procedures allowed Ehlers to thrive.
Ehlers was able to proceed through the ranks in the Civil Air Patrol. She gained the rank of cadet first lieutenant on Oct. 20, a huge accomplishment.
In the future, she plans to become a lawyer and do part time motivational speaking.
“If I were not part of this program, I would not be the person that I am today,” she said. “Thanks to CAP, quitting is not an option for me.”
“I look forward to the day when I am presented the (Gen Carl A.) Spaatz Award as the culmination of my cadet career,” Ehlers said. The Spaatz Award is the Civil Air Patrol’s top cadet honor.