Victoria Beck has her eyes toward the skies. She has already flown with her family to many places around the world. She has clocked some hours of her own studying the mechanics of flight. She has dreamed of piloting passengers across the globe herself someday. And at 15 years old, this staff sergeant with the Civil Air Patrol is well on her way.

Victoria, a soon-to-be sophomore at East Limestone High School, was just 13 when she approached her father with the idea of becoming a commercial airline pilot. Anxious to find an outlet for her passion, her father came across the Civil Air Patrol, or CAP, and it was a perfect fit.

Victoria joined in at 13 as cadet airman basic and has risen through the ranks. There are around 27,000 cadets ages 12 to 21 in the United States and Victoria is one of just three in Limestone County.

“We’re called the Air Force’s best kept secret,” Victoria says of the Civil Air Patrol. According to the national website, CAP performs 95 percent of the country’s inland search and rescue operations, as well as homeland security operations and counter-narcotics missions. Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama is the organization’s national headquarters. The Cadet Program trains students in teamwork and leadership skills for the future.

Victoria just returned from the Alabama/Mississippi Wing Cadet Encampment at Fort McClellan in Anniston at the end of June. “It’s hard work, but fun at the same time,” Victoria says.

Cadets learn military history and traditions, as well as participate in physical training activities and take classes in aerospace and leadership. Part of the program was an hour-long flight in a C130 cargo plane. “It was the greatest thing in the world,” Victoria says. Proud mom, Marylou shows pictures of a calm, collected Victoria assisting friends on the plane who were sick from the turbulent ride. “She loved it, never got sick, and even took the time to study for her own upcoming tests,” her mom says.

The Civil Air Patrol has allowed Victoria the opportunity to spend some time in the cockpit as well.

“We have six orientation flights, and I have done two so far,” Victoria says. She plans to use that time toward getting her pilot’s license.

One of the most important aspects of CAP is one that doesn’t involve flying at all. “Moral leadership is important. CAP cadets know to say no to drugs, drinking and smoking. We are disciplined, and that’s important,” Victoria says.

She learned a very important lesson with her flight group, Delta, at encampment. “The first day we were in a rush to do what we were told and we were absorbed in doing our own thing. We weren’t getting anywhere. When we started helping each other, we got things done.” Victoria and her group delegated duties to prepare for inspections and Delta Flight was named Honor Flight four out of five days.

Victoria returned from encampment and after some evaluations was promoted to Staff Sergeant. She is planning to stay with the CAP cadet program through high school. After that, she hopes her training and skills will lead her to her goal of becoming a commercial airline pilot. Victoria hopes to fly like her grandfather did; he was a pilot for United for 35 years.

Right now Victoria is going to prepare for the upcoming school year, and she just got her learner’s permit to drive. After encampment and cargo planes, her mom is hoping navigating the roadways comes naturally, too.