RAPID CITY – South Dakota Wing Cadet Lt. Col. Joshua Klosterman of Brandon, a member of the Big Sioux Composite Squadron in Brookings, has been named the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Cadet of the Year for 2017.
From a field of more than 30,000 CAP cadets, he was selected as the most outstanding cadet in the nation.
Since joining Civil Air Patrol as a 12-year-old cadet, he has been a consistent high achiever rapidly rising through the ranks and earning numerous awards, achievements and qualifications. While a cadet he qualified as a ground branch director, a position normally held by an adult officer, on a CAP Emergency Services Incident Command Team.
In addition, he qualified as a ground search and rescue team leader and has participated in numerous real-world searches and in training events. He was a member of his squadron’s award winning Big Sioux CyberPatriot computer cyber-defense team for several years.
Klosterman has served on several cadet advisory councils, first representing his squadron to the wing, then the South Dakota Wing to the North Central Region and finally the North Central Region to national level council.
Klosterman recently graduated from Dakota State University with a master’s degree in information assurance and computer security. Last year, he received his bachelor’s degree in network and security administration. This August, he will begin working at the MITRE Corporation in Maryland doing cybersecurity research.
Klosterman, who recently turned 21, has transitioned from a Civil Air Patrol cadet to senior member status as an officer with the rank of first lieutenant. He plans to continue his service with the Civil Air Patrol by transferring from South Dakota Wing to one of the CAP squadrons in the Maryland Wing.
Courtesy photo
