Aidan Kinsey: Civil Air Patrol Cadet

Aidan Kinsey is a Junior at BHS. He is a member of the madrigals choir and tech crew for our theater department, as well as an organization called Civil Air Patrol, which functions as the Air Force’s auxiliary. The cadet program, which he has been involved in for about 3 years now, prepares high school students for a potential military role and experience in an emergency services program.

Aiden also has some experience involving computer/ coding things. He says “computer stuff has always been an interest of [his] and goes back to [his] interest in the way things work. He started coding when he was eight years old as he got a programming kit from his grandparents. 

This program completes search-and-rescue and disaster relief. Most recently, Aidan was “involved in a search for a down helicopter in central Jersey. [He] managed the set up of radios up to 10 miles away while also managing the communication between those involved.” In missions like this, he says “it is important to keep communications tight. It is very hot, very loud, very busy, and there are a lot of moving factors.” 

To honor his success, Aidan earned what’s called the Brigadier General Billy Mitchel Award in March 2023. This award promoted him from cadet second to lieutenant and is the accumulation of time working as an individual and a front-line leader. This award is achieved by only about 15% of cadets who attend the program. Now, his rank is first lieutenant in Civil Air Patrol in the cadet program. Aidan is now working towards the Amelia Airheart award, which is cadet captain and only achieved by 5%-10% of cadets.

 It is a “goal of [his] because it is leadership experience and something [he] can proudly say [he has] done and led people through. It is nice to have real work experience as well as leadership experience.” There are close-book tests that one must pass to achieve said awards that assess leadership concepts as well as aerospace science. Aidan has attained his hand radio license and is working towards getting his commercial drone pilot license.

 In addition to this program, Aidan is also interested in computer technology. It started when he turned eight and got a programming computer kit from his grandparents as a gift and “sparked [his] interest in technology, specifically computer things.” On a final note, Aidan is now pursuing his next award, which involves extensive studying for a test he will have the opportunity to take in two months. “It is hard work,” he says, but “worth it in the long run, as it is nice to say [that he has] this experience and leadership experience to say [he has] have done something in life as real-world experience.”