Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Katie Waite with Brig. Gen.  Amy Courter, Civil Air Patrol interim national commander, after the National Cadet Competition.

Lt. Col. David Waite

Commander
Gen. Curtis E. LeMay Offutt Composite Squadron

Nebraska Wing

NEBRASKA – Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Katie Waite was surpised to find herself the only female cadet commander of either the color guard or drill teams at Civil Air Patrol’s National Cadet Competition, held June 26-30 in Dayton, Ohio. 

The National Cadet Competition, which celebrated its 60^th anniversary this year, brings the top eight cadet color guard and top eight drill teams from across the country to compete for the national competition.

Waite was also surprised to learn that she not only was the only female cadet commander, but that at 13 years of age she was one of the youngest competitors as well. 

Waite grew up watching other color guard teams train and prepare for cadet competitions. This was the second year she was on the team. Last year she was a rifle bearer on the team that took second place in the Nebraska Wing Competition.

She and the Nebraska Color Guard Team performed well at the competition, taking second place overall in the color guard competition -- which ties the highest finish in the color guard competition for the North Central Region representative.