History
After World War II, Civil Air Patrol shifted its focus away from patrolling sea lanes and anti-submarine warfare to enlarging its Search and Rescue operations. During the early 1950s, Colonel Phillip Neuweiler saw an increasing need for trained rescue teams for use by Civil Air Patrol's Pennsylvania Wing, which he commanded. He sent several teams to Westover AFB to be instructed by Air Force Pararescuemen. The Air Force instructors were so inspired by the dedication, motivation, and quality of the students that they called their students 'Rangers.'
Motivated by the success of the training, Col Neuweiler moved the school to a property he owned in Berks County in 1956. During this time, the school was staffed by both Civil Air Patrol members and USAF personnel. In the early 1960s, a cadet staff training program was implemented, and, combined with expertise of CAP personnel, eventually replaced the need for extensive USAF personnel for training.
By the mid 1970s, several similar schools had appeared elsewhere in Civil Air Patrol. Other nationally recognized CAP Ranger schools were held in the Everglades of Florida, at Black River Mississippi, and in Puerto Rico, and a similar program was Washington Wing's Challenger School. All of these schools were called National Emergency Assistance Training schools, or NEAT schools, by CAPNHQ in 1974, and served as the basis for CAP's emergency services training.
In July 1996, Brigadier General Richard Anderson, the CAP National Commander at the time, visited the Hawk Mountain Ranger School and recognized its lasting contributions, and called it the Harvard School of Search & Rescue.
In the spring of 2004, the school began a major infrastructure reconstruction. Trees were cleared at the base camp, eight new operation huts were constructed on raised pedestals, new latrines and shower facilities were constructed. A new gravel road was constructed leading up to the memorial gardens and chapel area. The new construction was dedicated on September 11, 2004, and the training area was rededicated as the 'Col. Phillip Neuweiler Memorial Training Center'.
On April 14, 2007, members of HMRS broke ground on a new 60-foot (18 m) climbing and rappelling tower. By 7 July the tower was mostly completed, but construction was halted for the duration of the Summer School. After graduation of the 2007 class, work on the tower was resumed, and the tower was completed by August.
Read more about this topic: Hawk Mountain Ranger School
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