Frequently Asked Questions
Many of the answers to these questions, as well as additional information, may be found in the National Emergency Services Academy Policy and Procedures manual.
A. General FAQs for all Attendees
B. FAQs for Parents
C. Mission Aircrew School FAQs
D. Ground Search and Rescue School FAQs
A. General FAQs for all Attendees
1. What are the dates for NESA this year?
The dates for 2021 are (unless otherwise indicated):
2. How do I apply to attend NESA?
Applications are only accepted online in e-services. You will need to login before you can apply. Once you have completed the application and uploaded completed and signed forms they should be uploaded to the online system. Plan to upload the CAPF 160(I), CAPF 161(I), CAPF 163, the NESA Release, the Camp Atterbury Release for Minors or Adults, the NESA scholarship application form for anyone interested, and the NESA Religious Needs Form if desired.
3. I applied for NESA online. Do I need to get the approval of my squadron and wing commander?
Once you apply, emails will go to your squadron and wing commander letting them know you have applied which gives them a location online to approve or disapprove your application. If they do not approve your application, it cannot be processed and your attendance will not be approved.
4. How do I know if I am accepted to the academy?
Part of this depends on when the approvals from your commanders take place. We cannot process your application until the approvals are completed. NESA staff will assign students into a course usually 2-3 months before the activity. Once you have been accepted to a course, participants will receive an email confirmation. Students can check their application status by going to a link that will be posted after registration is opened.
5. If something changes and I cannot attend, can I get a refund?
Refunds will generally be based on when the member's request to cancel out of NESA is received and the reason. Cancellation requests must be made in writing via email to NESA-ADMIN@nesa.cap.gov and all cancellations will be acknowledged in writing once received.
Requests received by the 15th of March will receive a full refund less a $10 administrative fee.
Requests received from the 16th of March through the 19th of April will receive a refund of 75% of their fees.
Requests received from the 20th of April through the 1st of June will receive a refund of 50% of their fees.
No refunds are possible after the 1st of June.
Special cases for emergencies like a death in the family or hospitalization, or military deployment or service requirement changes will be considered on a case by case basis. Fees collected are not transferable and cannot be carried forward to future NESA events. Personnel who are red-lined or otherwise not approved by their wing, making them ineligible to attend, will receive a full refund; if a wing cancels their approval after initially approving the applicant, the wing may be held responsible for the refund.
6. Is there any reimbursement for travel if coming by CAP corporate vehicle or aircraft?
Unless approved in advance by the academy director or project officer, personnel will NOT be reimbursed for their travel expenses to and from NESA. Generally, we only reimburse the standard mission costs for CAP vehicles and aircraft planned for and used during the course. If you will be driving or flying corporate assets to NESA and would like this asset to be on the list for reimbursement, contact the project officer. Corporate assets, air or ground, signed into the school and being reimbursed are mission assets and become assigned to NESA. Utilization of corporate assets will be determined by the Academy Director to best meet the needs of the mission and will not be reserved for specific persons or schools to use. Corporate assets leaving their wing require the approval of the wing commander.
7. Can I ship gear in advance?
Yes, if shipping gear, make sure you have the delivery date in advance of their arrival. If using a package delivery service such as FedEx, UPS, etc, use the following address:
Members Name
CAP-NESA (This is important to include!)
Camp Atterbury
647 Gatling Street
Edinburgh, Indiana 46124-5000
Use this address if someone needs to ship something to you during the school.
8. Are scholarships available for members to attend NESA?
There are two types of scholarships available - the alumni scholarship and the kitchen scholarship.
Detailed information regarding scholarships is available on the NESA website once registration is open.
9. May I fly my Wing Aircraft to NESA and will NESA pay for the costs?
NESA organizes all incoming and outgoing Aircraft and Ground Vehicles needed at the school. All Aircraft used at the school must have sorties assigned by the base staff at the school and must have flight releases from the school staff.
Priorities for the incoming aircraft are as follows:
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Aircraft that can stay for two full weeks, including the early arrivals needed for preparation and inspections of all inbound aircraft.
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Aircraft that can only stay for one week will be considered but on the basis of shortest ferry time of all available aircraft geographically surrounding NESA.
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Pilots to fly inbound aircraft are first selected from instructors who are staying the full two-weeks (including the extra days for set-up and demob).
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Second-tier for pilot selection is instructors who can only stay one session.
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Third-tier for pilot selection is open to students who are staying two sessions and are available to arrive early, then those who can only stay one session.
OK, so what if I don't qualify for anything above? Then you (pilot-in-command) would need to coordinate the aircraft from your home wing, and you will be responsible for all costs associated with the flights, ground handling/landing fees, etc.
10. May I drive my Wing Van to NESA and will NESA pay for the costs?
NESA organizes all incoming and outgoing Aircraft and Ground Vehicles needed at the school. All Ground Vehicles used at the school must have sorties assigned by the base staff at the school and must maintain coordination on arrival and departure with the school staff.
Priorities for the Incoming Ground Vehicles are as follows:
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Ground vehicles that can stay for two full weeks, including the early arrivals needed for preparation and inspections of all inbound aircraft, get slotted first.
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Ground vehicles that can only stay for one week will be considered, but on the basis of shortest drive time of all available ground vehicles geographically surrounding NESA.
11. I registered for NESA but didn't pay yet. Where do I go to make my payment?
Go to the NESA registration page and follow the instructions to make a payment only. Do not use that link if you have not registered yet.
B. FAQs for Parents
1. I am driving my child to NESA. Will I have any problem getting on the military post?
You should not have any problems getting on the post. Your child's name will be listed as a participant at the front gate. You should make sure you have:
A valid driver's license and a picture identification card for any adults in the vehicle.
Make sure you have a valid registration and proof of insurance in the vehicle.
Be aware the driver cannot be talking on a cell phone while operating a vehicle and speed limits are strictly enforced on military bases.
Expect increased screening for COVID-19 on arrival at the gate as well.
NO PERSONAL FIREARMS ARE ALLOWED ON POST.
2. Can I send mail or packages to my child while at NESA?
Yes, mail can be sent but please make sure you allow time for arrival before your child departs. Mail service can take 5 days from some parts of the country. The mailing address is:
Cadet Name
CAP-NESA (This is important to include!)
Post Office Box 5000
Camp Atterbury
Edinburgh, Indiana 46124-5000
3. Can we ship gear out in advance or use a packaging company to send something to our child?
Yes, if shipping gear, make sure you have the delivery date in advance of their arrival. If using a package delivery service such as FedEx, UPS, etc, use the following address:
Cadet Name
CAP-NESA (This is important to include!)
Camp Atterbury
647 Gatling Street
Edinburgh, Indiana 46124-5000
4. How are pickups handled at the airport?
As long as you have provided a schedule for arrival including notifying us of any last-minute changes, someone will be looking for your child at the luggage pickup area. The person will either be in uniform or a shirt with the NESA logo on it as well as have CAP identification. They may be picking up people flying in on several different airlines arriving closely together, so if they don't see anyone at first, they should wait. If no one arrives after 15 minutes and they are concerned, they can call or go to the airport police office which is in the baggage area. The police desk has our contact number.
5. My child is young and the airline would like the name of who is picking him/her up. Who should I tell them?
Give them the name: Lt Col Gary L. Brockman. He is the activity director and won't be the one picking up your child but the member he sends will have a letter authorizing them to pick up your child on his behalf.
6. My child is traveling with others or by commercial travel. Can I be notified when they arrive safely?
You will need to make that arrangement with your child. We encourage all cadets to make a call home when they arrive and will make sure they have access to a phone.
7. How can I contact my child if there is an emergency?
We try to get an emergency contact number up on the website as soon as we have it confirmed. We are slotted into buildings that sometimes change at the last minute, so we don't post a number until we take possession of our building. In an emergency, and you can't locate our number, you can call the National Operations Center at Civil Air Patrol Headquarters at 334-953-7299. They have access to our staff cell phones and will contact us.
8. How is housing done with male and female cadets present?
Males and females are housed in separate areas. There are adult females in and supervising the female areas and adult males doing the same in the male areas. Male and female barracks are completely separate buildings. If students are overnighting in the field, there are separate male and female bivouac areas.
9. Are there graduation ceremonies families can attend?
Graduation ceremonies are held at the end of each course. ICSS Courses normally graduate on Friday night at 6PM, MAS Courses graduate on Saturday morning at 8AM, and GSAR Courses graduate on Saturday morning at 9AM. Family members are welcome to attend.
10. Are religious services available?
There is a Protestant chapel on Camp Atterbury and Catholic services are available off post. NESA staff members will be available to escort students to either of these services if desired. We welcome members of other faith traditions and will work with you to support your needs. Contact us and will try to accommodate your needs.
11. My child has a learning disability and may have difficulty with some of the training.
We will work within the best of our ability to facilitate any learning disability. Our instructors will work individually with students, we will provide proctors to read tests, and we will provide distraction-free test areas to accommodate students if needed. We have several teachers on staff. Students must be able to demonstrate knowledge and pass testing to complete the program, however. If there are some specific concerns, feel free to email Lt Col Gary Brockman, the Academy Director at gbrockman@nesa.cap.gov to discuss.
12. If there is a change and my child can't come and is already signed up, what is the refund policy?
Refunds will generally be based on when the member's requests to cancel their registration is received and the reason. Cancellation requests must be made in writing via email to NESA-ADMIN@nesa.cap.gov and all cancellations will be acknowledged in writing once received.
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Requests received by the 15th of March will receive a full refund less a $10 administrative fee.
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Requests received from the 16th of March through the 19th of April will receive a refund of 75% of their fees.
-
Requests received from the 20th of April through the 1st of June will receive a refund of 50% of their fees.
No refunds will be possible after the 1st of June. Special cases for emergencies like a death in the family or hospitalization, or military deployment or service requirement changes will be considered on a case by case basis.
Fees collected for cancellations are not transferable and cannot be carried forward to future NESA events. Personnel not approved by their wing, making them ineligible to attend, will receive a full refund.
Special cases for emergencies like a death in the family or hospitalization, or military deployment or service requirement changes will be considered on a case by case basis. Fees collected are not transferable, and cannot be carried forward to future NESA events. Personnel that are red-lined or otherwise disapproved by their wing making them ineligible to attend will receive a full refund; if a wing cancels their approval after initially approving the applicant, the wing may be held responsible for the refund.
13. Are scholarships available for members to attend NESA?
There are two types of scholarships available - the alumni scholarship and the kitchen scholarship.
The alumni scholarship provides one (1) course session at no charge. A kitchen scholarship allows a member to attend one (1) course session at no charge in exchange for one week of kitchen duty. Detailed information regarding scholarships is available on the NESA website once registration is open.
14. What if there are some specific concerns I have not covered here or in the Policy and Procedures manual?
You can contact Lt Col Gary Brockman, the Academy Director at gbrockman@nesa.cap.gov. If your concern is specific to the school your child is attending, he will have the commandant in charge of the school answer.
C. Mission Aircrew School FAQs
1. What uniforms are recommended for use at the Mission Aircrew School?
School Tan T-Shirts (2) will be issued at your sign-in time. You may wear these with black shorts and tennis shoes (white preferred) that you bring from home. (This uniform is not approved for flights to and from the school in CAP aircraft. Just for flight activities as part of the training at the school.)
Additionally, bring any of the following CAP uniforms you have for the Mission Aircrew School. (Flying, classroom, graduation, etc)
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Green Air Force Style Flight Suit
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Corporate Dark Blue Flight Suit
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Corporate Blue Polo and Gray Slacks
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Airman Battle Uniform (ABUs)
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Corporate Utilities (Blue BDUs)
DO NOT bring Blue's, this is a field activity.
2. What uniform should I wear at the Aircrew School graduation?
(Listed in order of preference)
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Green Air Force Style Flight Suit
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Corporate Dark Blue Flight Suit
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Corporate Blue Polo and Gray Slacks
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Airman Battle Uniform (ABUs)
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Corporate Utilities (Blue BDUs)
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Any other normally valid CAP uniform
NO, you may not wear the School T-Shirt and Shorts for graduation.
3. I am currently getting my Mission Scanner qualification, but if I am unable to finish, can I still attend the Mission Observer or Mission Pilot Training?
First, do everything you can to finish all your prerequisites before arriving at the school. If you can't, we offer a mini-course for MS, 3-day sessions in week 1, that you can sign up for and get your MS qualification completed.
4. If I would prefer not to stay in the FREE open bay barracks, what options do I have for housing?
The base provides to the Academy the use of the open bay barracks at no charge to NESA so if you plan on staying elsewhere you will not see a reduced price or refund.
There are several nice hotels in the area of Edinburgh, Indiana. Do a web search for that area to locate them. There are also several chain hotels near the intersection of Interstate 65 and Indiana RT31. They are approximately 10-15 minutes drive to Camp Atterbury. These hotel accommodations are at the members' expense.
The base does have limited Visiting Officer Quarters (VOQ) which you may reserve on a rank and priority order that the base controls.
These are shared VOQs with the active-duty military transiting through the base and they will get priority. To inquire about reservations you may contact 812-526-1128, Camp Atterbury Housing Office. You will not be able to make reservations until 30 days prior to your arrival date, please do not contact them early and ask. These accommodations are your expense.
The base does have a campground and if you would like to utilize that facility please visit the Camp Atterbury Website for further information.
5. I would like to take a Form 91 check ride after I complete the training at NESA. How do I get approval for that?
Have your wing DO or CC send an email to mascc@nesa.cap.gov authorizing NESA staff to perform the Form 91 check ride. --AND--
If you complete all the task items while at the school --AND--
Your instructor recommends you for a check ride --AND--
There is time (aircraft/check pilot/daylight) available --then--
We will do everything we can to get your check ride completed before you leave NESA. It is recommended that you plan on staying an extra day to get this completed.
6. As the Pilot in Command, how many hours may I expect to log while at the school?
You will be completing approximately five (5) sorties which will be about 6-8 hours of logged flight time.
7. How are meals provided for the school?
Breakfast s provided on base every morning before driving over to Columbus Airport for the training day. Lunch and Dinner will be provided by the school kitchen and transported over to the airfield and set up for the Aircrew School to enjoy. Timing on Lunch and Dinner varies daily and your instructors will announce when you will take your lunch and dinner breaks.
Wednesday evening is a "dining out" night. We traditionally go to a local steak house and is not mandatory to attend because it is at your own expense. Those who don't wish to attend will be able to get dinner at the school dining facility on Camp Atterbury.
If you choose to get your meals from the restaurants near the airport you may do so, but coordination of rides and costs will be your responsibility, and you are not relieved of your classroom start time after the meal period.
8. What equipment can I bring from my home wing for the Airborne Photographer portion of the Basic School?
Let the commandant know you would like to bring your win equipment with you to the school via email at mascc@nesa.cap.gov. We will contact your wing commander and make sure that they know we are officially asking for the use of the equipment and that you will bring to the school and return it to the wing after the school. It is your responsibility to see that the equipment is safely returned to the wing.
9. Water Bottles and Canteens
Each student is required to bring either water bottles or a canteen to provide for water during the activity. It is hot and humid in Indiana in the summer and you will need water to keep hydrated during your training sorties.
10. Safety -- Reflective Belt or Vest is required on Base from Dusk to Dawn
If you are walking on base, other than directly from a building to a vehicle, you are required to have a reflective belt or vest on. Belts are normally available for purchase at the Post Exchange at your expense.
11. Arrival Day of the Week and Opening Meeting Times
Full Week Courses - Basic MS/AP, Intermediate MO/MP, Advanced MO/MP:
Arrive on Sunday, Opening Meeting 1800 hrs on Sunday at Camp Atterbury.
Mini-Courses (Mid Week Start) - AP/DAART/Aircrew Survival
Arrive on Tuesday, Opening Meeting is at 1800 hrs on Tuesday at Camp Atterbury.
12. Daily Class Schedule
Arrival Day - There will be an Introduction Briefing at 1800 hrs at Camp Atterbury on your courses. The location will be posted at the sign-in desk at Camp Atterbury.
Monday through Friday - All Classes start at the Campus Building next to Columbus Airport (KBAK) at 0800 hrs with a General Briefing.
Saturday - Graduation time and location at Camp Atterbury will be posted and announced in the Friday morning briefing.
ALL Evenings - Plan on studying your materials and planning for the next day's flights. We will time out your crew duty day, each day. Your classroom and flying days will extend into the early evening.
Mini-Courses - Arrival days, plan on an Introductory Briefing at 1800 hrs and starting your classes the next morning at 0800 hrs with the General Briefing.
D. GSAR FAQs
1. I am currently getting my Ground Team 3 rating, can I still apply for Advanced or Team Leader Training?
Yes, you can apply for Advanced as long as you are rated GTM 3 in eServices Ops/Qual before checking into the Advanced activity.
You may apply for Team Leader as long as you are rated GTM 3 in eServices Ops/Qual before checking into the TL activity and you are at least 18 years of age.
If you check-in and you have not met the requirements for the course you applied for you will be slotted in Basic.
All Advanced and Team Leader students must demonstrate minimum basic standardized skills at the beginning of their activity.
2. Where are GSAR students housed?
All GSAR students will be housed on Camp Atterbury in the open bay barracks.
Male and female participants are housed in separate barracks and senior member supervision is provided for all barracks areas.
At least one night of each week is spent in field conditions. (Bivouac)
3. How are meals provided for the school?
GSAR participants will be provided three meals each day. Meals will be taken in the dining facility or field conditions (either MRE's or field meals).
There is no need to bring MRE's to the activity, they will be provided by the Academy.
Participants with special dietary needs should highlight them on the medical release.
Additional information regarding meals and special requirements can be found in the NESA Policies and Procedures.
4. What equipment should I bring to GSAR?
Participants should carefully read the required list found in attachment B of the Policies & Procedures.
One of the tasks required for graduation is gear-related so you must bring all required equipment.
5. Can I bring my own computer, iPod, MP3 player, etc.?
Participants should not bring any portable electronic devices.
6. Will there be time to do laundry during GSAR?
There are no opportunities for laundry during the GSAR sessions. Participants need to pack and bring enough clothing items for the whole week. If you are staying for both sessions, there is limited time to do laundry between sessions.
7. Are religious services available during GSAR?
There is a Protestant Chapel on Camp Atterbury and Catholic services available off post. NESA staff members will be available to escort students to either of these services. We welcome members of other faith traditions and will work with you to support your needs. Please email the GSAR Commandant (Lt Col Michael Long) at mlong@nesa.cap.gov with any special requests and every effort will be made to support you.
8. Can I attend Basic week 1 and either Advanced or Team Leader week 2?
Yes, every year we have many students who wish to complete more than one training program.
