VIENNA - The Civil Air Patrol, which meets and practices at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna, placed sixth overall nationwide in the annual drill team competition held in July at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Ore.

The drill team, with members aged 12 to 21, also received a third-place finish in the volleyball portion of the competition.

Cadet 1st Lt. Joseph Spletzer, 15, who served as the commander of the drill team, said the drill team is one aspect of Civil Air Patrol which competes at different levels; wing, regional and national. The local team represented the Great Lakes Region competing against seven other teams at nationals.

The group started preparing late last year for the competition.

Spletzer said one of the seven parts of the competition is knowledge, which includes a written exam and quiz bowl over current events in the Air Force and on the Civil Air Patrol. The physical portion includes a volleyball tournament and one-mile run, inspections of the uniforms and standard drill.

Spletzer said the drill team competition involves the team commander being given a card from the judge with commands for the team, followed by an innovative drill, which is a routine designed by the team.

In April, the team competed at wing competition at The Ohio State University and then moved on to regional competition at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton against teams from Wisconsin and Michigan.

"The last time the team made it to national was in 2004 where they placed fifth overall," Spletzer said.

Spletzer was selected to be the team commander of the 13-member team and one alternate.

"It's an awesome opportunity. We were up against teams with members 18 and 19 years old. We had team members as young as 12 . They did an awesome job. I am very proud of the cadets I was with," he said.

Cadet Master Sgt. Erin Fetters said the experience was great since the team had not been to the national event for four years. "Our team was very dedicated and made it that far," Fetters said.

Fetters said the innovative drill was the most challenging. She said it is a silent drill the members had to memorize.

First Lt. Patricia Hrinko, who was one of the adult escorts, said each region sent a team. "They held their own the whole way through and did a fabulous job," Hrinko said.

She said the drill team pulls together all they have learned in Civil Air Patrol for the competition.

The team meets has become oriented to flight and receive an Air Force experience at the local air base.

Hrinko said the drill showed the team's creativity and how they can come together as a team.

"We are proud of them for representing this Valley. Just to watch them is amazing," Hrinko said.

"His leadership ability showed through," Hrinko said of Spletzer's leadership. Hrinko said Spletzer came in for the first time to command the drill team at the national level.

Spletzer said Civil Air Patrol is an official auxiliary of the United States Air Force and takes part in aerospace education where cadets get a basic understanding of aerodynamics and aerospace principles.

Capt. William M. Hrinko Jr., deputy commander of the cadets, provides oversight and mentoring to the cadets and helping to train the drill team.

"I am extremely proud of them. Half the team is brand new cadets. They had the motivation, dedication and drive to make it to the national competition in their first year. They were up against teams that had been doing this for five years. A lot goes into this,'' he said.

Hrinko said the teams have competed seven times since 2000. "For the past six years they have been the team representing the state of Ohio,'' he said.

Team members are Joseph Spletzer, 15, Newton Falls, Daniel Clegg, 17, North Lima, Hailey Davis, 15, Howland, Erin Fetters, 14, Dorset, Michael Hnat, 18, Leetonia, Jared Holt, 15, Newton Falls, Michael Rothacker, 14, Newton Falls, Anthony Spina, 14, Newton Falls, Jessica VanTassel, 16, Burghill, Kelsie Votaw, 15, Kent, Isaac Woolley, 13, Austintown, Trenton Wyant, 15, Bristolville, Trent Zank, 16, Greenville, Pa. and Bradley Hrinko, 20, Canfield.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com