It seemed only natural that the Stack family joined the Civil Air Patrol's South Sound Composite Squadron together.

Husband Rich, a former helicopter pilot in the Marines who later became a commercial pilot, and wife Sue, a one-time flight attendant who earned her pilot's license, had been involved in aviation their entire lives.

Their two children Paula and Patrick, 17-year-old fraternal twins, got interested in joining the squadron four years ago after talking with cadets at an air show in Olympia. Patrick wanted to join because from the time he was young he liked to draw aircraft. Paula just liked the way the Air Force battle dress uniform looked.

"Aviation was in my blood ... we were all for them joining CAP," Sue said.

The CAP's three missions are to develop its cadets, educate Americans on the importance of aviation and space and perform life-saving humanitarian missions. The leadership skills, self-confidence and discipline cadets gain through Civil Air Patrol better prepares them to achieve whatever goals they set for themselves in life.

After Paula and Patrick spent a year in the squadron, Rich and Sue decided to join as senior members.

"Our family has always been very tight," said Sue, who home-schooled Paula and Patrick so the family could travel the world together. "If you don't make (CAP) a family event it would be harder."

But that's not to say playing an active role in the South Sound Composite Squadron has been easy by any means. Without a permanent headquarters, the squadron has hosted its weekly meetings out of various churches and boys and girls clubs in parts around Lacey and Olympia. After the squadron's active members dropped down to four people, Paula and Patrick went out and made presentations and put up fliers at middle schools and libraries and went to work remaking and constantly updating the squadron's Web site (http://sites.google.com/site/southsoundcompositesquadron/).

"Every disadvantage we've been able to turn into a growth advantage," Sue said.

The Stacks also helped bring back and strengthen programs within the squadron. They brought back the flight orientation ride program and created a uniform bank so new members don't have to purchase brand new BDUs.

The benefits of the hard work have translated into opening doors for the many great events squadron has been able to be a part of.

"In two years, we've really built it up," Paula said.

This summer, the squadron participated in a camp in Ephrata that gave cadets the chance to earn qualification toward their pilot's license by flying either a glider or a powered aircraft.

Cadets have also participated in community service events ranging from volunteering to directing traffic near road closures after the 2009 floods in Thurston County to more educational events in local neighborhoods. The twins recently taught aerospace classes to children at the local boys and girls club.

"I got to see the kids learn something they might not have picked up in school," said Patrick, the squadron's current cadet commander who wants to study aeronautical engineering and aircraft design in college. "We made an impression and they learned some stuff."

Although the twins are nearing the age when cadets leave the squadron to go to college - both attend the Running Start program at South Sound Community College - Sue said her and Rich will likely stay involved, albeit in a reduced roll.

"It's about relationship building," she said. "We've met several other families that are similar to ours."

Patrick and Paula have both learned lessons through being a part of the squadron that will stay with them for life.

"I got a lot of great leadership training," said Paula, who wants to become a child psychologist. "You get (out of the CAP experience) whatever you put in."