St Cloud Composite Squadron
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Ground Team Academy

The Ground Team Academy (GTA) was created in 2007 to standardize ground team training across Minnesota Wing and give all members an opportunity to get qualified in one level of ground team qualification during an extended weekend.  Since the success of the first GTA, it has turned into an annual event.  It is open to all members with at least a General ES Qualification who have completed FEMA's IS 100 and IS 700. 

The goal of the school is to get each person complete with one level of ES training by the end of the weekend.  If you come in with a General ES qualification, you should get everything you need for GTM3 by the end of the activity, if you come in with GTM3 qualification, you should be able to get GTM2, and if you come in with GTM2, you should be able to get everything you need for GTM1 and/or GTL.


2022 GTA - TBD normally held ~ 3rd weekend in August


The school has several courses:


Ground Team Member 3 Course - Entry Level Ground Team

Objective: 

To ensure all entry-level ground team personnel have the required training to participate in missing person and ELT searches.

Prerequisites: 
  • General Emergency Services Qualified

  • FEMA IS 100 and 700 complete.

Training: 

Basic Communications User Training, First Aid, Ground Team Equipment, Hot/Cold Weather Injuries, Fatigue, Compass Use, Phone Alerts, ELT Search, Basic Map Reading, and Natural Hazards.


Ground Team Member 2 Course - Intermediate Level Ground Team

Objective: 

To train personnel to be self-sufficient during search operations and become more proficient in navigation skills.

Prerequisites: 
  • Ground Team Member Level 3 qualified.

  • FEMA IS 100 and 700 complete.

Training: 

Shelter Building, Survival Skills, Land Navigation, and Canine Operations.


Ground Team Member 1, Ground Team Leader Course-Advanced

Objective: 

To train personnel with the required skills to become ground team leaders and assistant ground team leaders.

Prerequisites: 
  • Ground Team Member 1: Must be Ground Team Member Level 2 Qualified.

  • Ground Team Leader Course-Advanced: Must be Ground Team Member Level 3 qualified and age 18.

  • ICS 100, 700, and 200 complete.

Training: 

ICS, Team Management, Field Leadership, Scene Management, Communications, Map Reading/Land Navigation, ELT Searches, CISM, Team Paperwork. 


You must have completed General Emergency Services, FEMA IS-100 and IS-700 before applying and have these completions recorded in Operations Qualifications as complete before you will be allowed to apply for any of these courses.  Please ask your Unit Commander or Emergency Services officer if you are unsure of how to complete or record these.


For signup information please visit: MNCAP  and select Activities and then select Ground Team Academy.

(The above link will open a new browser window outside the CAP.GOV domain.)
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