2021 New Hampshire Summer Academy
​Cadet Command Staff

C/Col Elizabeth Forbush
Academy Cadet Commander

C/Col Elizabeth Forbush, a senior in high school from the Greater Nashua Composite Squadron, will be serving as the Academy Commander for the 2021 Summer Academy. Colonel Forbush has been a member of the Civil Air Patrol for nearly five years and has served in numerous positions on the squadron, encampment, and national level. Currently, she is a primary member on the National Cadet Advisory Council, representing the Northeast region. She has attended a plethora of events, including the Civic Leadership Academy, NER Cadet Leadership School, AF Space Command Familiarization Course, legislative days, encampments and more. In her spare time, Colonel Forbush enjoys running, yoga, and writing. C/Col Forbush’s goal for the upcoming academy is to, “create an exciting learning environment with clear communication and flexibility as the primary focus. Morso, I am working to ensure all cadets have a great experience that is both fun and informative.”

C/1st Lt Ethan Downs
Academy Deputy Commander for Support

C/1st Lt Ethan Downs will be serving as Cadet Deputy Commander for Support during this year's summer academy. Downs is a student at Newburyport high school, and Is from Seacoast Composite Squadron in New Hampshire wing. He  has been in CAP for close to four years and attended basic encampment back in 2018. Following that, he went to the 2019 winter NCOLS and staffed the 2019 summer academy as the NCOLS first sergeant. Downs has attended the Cadet Aviation Ground School in Tennessee and is currently completing the 2021 spring RCLS. He is a track and field runner and is working towards his private pilot's license. Downs Is also passionate about aviation and rocketry and will be competing in the Team America Rocketry challenge this spring. His goal for the academy is to meet all support needs and ensure that the academy runs smoothly so that the next generation of cadets can learn to become better leaders.

C/Lt Col Joel Chick
Encampment Commander

C/Lt. Col. Chick is a college student studying paramedicine who has been involved in Civil Air Patrol since 2012. Since then, he has attended numerous cadet academies and national cadet special activities (NCSAs) to include Hawk Mountain Ranger School for both the basic course and the field medic course, Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership School (NCOLS)/Encampment as a cadet and as staff, and, Color/Honor Guard School. Cadet Chick has been involved heavily in the area of Emergency Services and has been certified up to the Ground Team Leader (GTL) Level as well as obtaining his NREMT-A, ProBoard Firefighter 1, ProBoard Wildland Firefighter, and numerous NASAR SARTECH Certifications. Cadet Chick currently works as a full time Advanced EMT in the Ossipee Valley 911 system. Cadet Chick was an athlete all through high school with a large focus on soccer and alpine ski racing, graduating with honors in 2018. Cadet Chick plans to focus the 2021 Summer Encampment on the personal and professional growth/development of cadets. Areas of emphasis will be customs and courtesies, proper wear of uniform, as well as self-discipline. He looks forward to working with cadet staff, senior staff, and students alike to run a successful NH Wing Summer Encampment.

C/Capt Jacob Gurtner
NCOLS Commander

C/Capt Gurtner will be serving as the NCOLS Commander of the 2021 NHWG Summer Academy. Gurtner is from Concord Composite Squadron in New Hampshire Wing, where he currently serves as cadet commander. Gurtner is also chairman of the NH Wing Cadet Advisory Council, and is the NH primary representative on the Northeast Region Cadet Advisory Council. Gurtner has attended several CAP events, including encampment, NCOLS, RCLS, and National Legislative Days. Gurtner’s passions include skiing, hiking, and running. His goal for this year's NCOLS is to “safely develop our newest generation of cadet NCOs to better lead our cadet airmen and help bring our wing back from the negative effects of COVID-19. Officers may lead this organization, but the NCOs run it, and we need them in order to continuously improve our cadet program.”