HAWK MOUNTAIN RANGER SCHOOL
Celebrating 70 Years of Service to Civil Air Patrol
11-19 July 2026
Summer School Registration Instructions
Everyone will experience our Confidence Course, rappel on our 60'+ Tower, and practice their newly honed skills with realistic mission simulations during the 3-day intensive field search & rescue exercise on Hawk Mountain.
AVAILABLE COURSES
Basic Ranger Course (Bravo, Charlie, Delta / Sierra)
Length: 9 days
Cost: $525.00
Open to Cadets and Seniors, during this first-year course, students will gain hands-on experience in navigation, team mobility, search operations, crash site procedures and survival skills. Students will also have an opportunity to rappel on our 60+ foot tower. The skills learned will be evaluated and tested during a 3-day mission with real world scenarios and perform realistic rescues on Hawk Mountain away from base camp, Students will train through the Ranger 3rd Class and into Ranger 2nd Class skills. Ground Team Member Level 3 & 2 skills will also be evaluated. The students will also gain training to complete their MRO. This training will allow them to be considered true assets of any CAP ground team.
Advanced Ranger Course (Alpha)
Length: 9 days
Cost: $525.00
Cadets returning for the second year will learn advanced rescue techniques, land search theory, air to ground coordination, and advanced navigation skills. Cadets will also learn the leadership skills necessary to begin Ground Team Leader training. Cadets will have an opportunity to rappel on our 60+ foot tower. The skills learned will be evaluated and tested during a 3 day mission with real world scenarios and perform realistic rescues on Hawk Mountain away from base camp, Students will train through the Ranger 1st Class and GTM1 level.
Field Medic Staff Training Course (Mike)
Length: 9 days
Cost: $625.00
This second-year course is designed for any cadet who is interested in becoming a Ranger Team Medic. Students will be provided with instruction in Wilderness medical care, preventive care for team members, field sanitation and hygiene techniques, trauma management, mass casualty triage, and the transport of patients in the field. This course is academically challenging, combining both the Cadet Advanced Course SAR curriculum and Field Medic Training. The skills learned will be evaluated and tested during a 3 day mission with real world scenariors and perform realistice rescues on Hawk Mountain away from base camp, The students will be intergrated into other squadrons as Medic Support Staff. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be certified as a Wilderness First Responder and as a HMRS Field Medic and will have the opportunity to become part of Ranger Staff as a Field Medic.
Field Communicators Course (Whiskey) Basic or Advanced
Length: 9 days
Cost: $525.00
Students will gain familiarity of UHF, VHF & HF radios, learn mission base & field operations, remote communications relay stations, and communications equipment set up and operation. The culminating three day exercise will include extensive hiking with full equipment. Students will be tasked as MRO's to support a squadron on the Field Training Exercise (FTX) or assigned to the Field Base camp as Support Staff. Upon successful completion of the Basic course, students will become Mission Radio Operator certified and will have learned valuable mission skills along the way. The skills learned will be evaluated and tested during the 3 day mission with real world scenarios and perform realistic rescues on Hawk Mountain away from base camp.
Team Commanders Course (Tango)
Length: 9 days
Cost: $525.00
The Ranger Team Commanders Course is a mentally and physically tasking course; teaching both cadets and seniors Team Leadership skills in the field environment. The students will find confidence in themselves, their team members, and in the use of their equipment via multiple in-depth training scenarios. This course is built to challenge your comfort zone as a leader and will stretch your limits and training in the field or while on-rappel on our 60+ foot tower. Advanced Navigation, Search Theory, SAR Techniques, and Mission Team Leadership is heavily emphasized throughout the course. Academics will be taught at the Advanced Ranger Level, and will cover Ground Team Leaders tasks and Ranger Team Commander knowledge. This course teaches the student how to apply skills to be efficient Ranger Team Commanders and Ground Team Leaders. The skills learned will be evaluated and tested during missions with real world scenariors and perform realistice rescues on Hawk Mountain away from base camp. This course requires participants to be highly self-motivated and have no physical limitations. Students will be evaluated on Ranger 1st Class Skills and some Advanced Ranger Skills. Students will also be initially evaluated or reevaluated on current Ground Team Leader tasks and Ground Team Level 1 tasks.
Ranger Staff Training - Basic (Romeo 1)
Length: 9 Days
Cost: $125.00
The Ranger Staff training program is for highly motivated cadets who want to become part of the Hawk Mountain Ranger School staff. Students will experience on-the-job training as probationary staff while learning effective teaching techniques, safety considerations of staffing NCSAs, in-depth Ranger & ground team skills, and how to properly evaluate both basic leadership concepts. Students will also learn how to effectively mentor and teach students. The skills learned will be evaluated and tested during the 3-day mission with real world scenarios and perform realistic rescues on Hawk Mountain away from base camp. The students will be integrated into other squadrons as Staff Trainees. Once the student completes and passes the program, they will become a probationary staff member of the Hawk Mountain Ranger School.
Ranger Staff Training - Advanced (Romeo 2)
Length: 9 Days
Cost: $125.00
This course continues the Staff Training providing a unique opportunity to actively serve as Ranger School Staff while completing intermittent classes further to develop leadership, instructional proficiency, and operational expertise and reinforcing and expanding upon skills in leadership, field instruction, advanced navigation, emergency services operations, and team safety management, preparing candidates to take on greater responsibility within the Ranger Staff cadre.
Aircrew Survival Course (Hotel) Basic or Advanced
Length: TBD days
Cost: $TBD for Basic or Advanced $TBD for both all 9 days
Can you survive in the woods with just what is in your aircraft? This 4-day course is designed to teach you just that, and more. For all Aircrew Members (Seniors only), this course will provide invaluable information on how to survive until help arrives. The Ranger Instructor Staff is well versed in all aspects of survival training. Students will experience hands-on indoor and outdoor classroom training and two days of practical survival experience in the field. The course will cover Egress Training, Initial Survival Concerns, Survival Kits, The WILL TO SURVIVE, Improvising Equipment, Communications, Signaling, Land Navigation, First Aid, Personal Hygiene, Nutrition, Water Procurement, Basic Survival Skills for all Regions, Shelter, Weather, Fire Building, and the practical experience of survival.
Advanced Aircrew Survival Course will build upon the Basic Survival Course skills to include concepts in water procurement and filtration, advanced land navigation, natural shelters, and water survival.
WELCOME TO THE MOUNTAIN!
Celebrating 70 Years of Service to Civil Air Patrol
Hawk Mountain Ranger School
Located in Kempton, Pennsylvania, Hawk Mountain Ranger School is the longest-running Search & Rescue School in the nation. HMRS has provided some of the best wilderness SAR training to cadets and seniors throughout the country. HMRS is the most intense and rewarding summer activity that CAP has to offer. If you have never been to the Mountain, now is your chance to become a part of the tradition. If you have already graduated from a HMRS course, attend again to further your training through more advanced courses.
For nine unforgettable days, HMRS invites you into the wilderness — not a dormitory, but the raw outdoors — along with the others who have accepted the challenge, lead, and endure under real conditions.
What Awaits You: Wilderness Training – Learn search and rescue skills and qualifications that save lives. Leadership Development – Discover confidence, teamwork, and integrity under pressure. Confidence Course, rappel on our 60+ feet tower, and practice your newly honed training skills on the 3-day intensive field search & rescue exercise on top of Hawk Mountain.
Join HMRS become part of a legacy that has shaped leaders for generations. Celebrating 70 Years of Service to Civil Air Patrol: Challenge Yourself. Discover Your Strength. Cadets & Senior Members, Are you ready to test your limits? Do you have what it takes to lead when the elements push back?
"The memories, lifelong friendships, and learned skills from this 9 Day School will stay with you forever. Instilling in you a sense of responsibility, the skills necessary to enhance your life & others, and to be of service to your community, state, and nation as a member of Civil Air Patrol."
C/Capt Cody Mangiaruga, Cadet School Commander, HMRS
ARRIVAL INFORMATION
Friday, 10 July: 1100 - 2130
or
Saturday, 11 July: 0600 - 1000
Formal check-in: Saturday 11 July, 0800 - 1100
Your valid CAP membership card and the completed CAPF160, 161, and 163 are required at check-in.
These forms can be found at http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/members/publications/forms.
GRADUATION INFORMATION
Sunday, 19 July: 1130
All visitors are welcome, particularly parents and unit commanders.
Student Release: Families and others awaiting students release should expect a 3 to 4-hour period after Parade & Review to close the school down to its normal woodland environment. Limited refreshments and souvenirs will be available for sale. You might want to take this time to visit the Hawk Mountain Bird Sanctuary located on top of the mountain or the Cabela’s Super Store, which is only a few miles away.
"These Things I Do That Others May Live."
