The Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS) Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol just hit a milestone as it gets ready to celebrate its 62nd birthday.

The YARS Composite Squadron's membership hit an all-time high recently with 73 members in its ranks.

For comparison, the second highest membership in Ohio is the Wright Patterson Composite Squadron outside of Dayton which has 71 members. Other areas like Stow and Toledo have between 25-30 members. Captain Emma Kanning told 21 News that most squadrons have 20-40 members.

According to the release, cadet members are between the ages of 12-21 and learn about aerospace and leadership through unique experiences like orientation flights, uniform wear, drill and ceremonies, and activities in cyber security, search and rescue and medical training.

Since its charter in 1962, the YARS Composite Squadron has collected a number of awards including the Quality Cadet Unit Award 14 times. They are one of only four squadrons to get this honor every year since its creation in 2010.

"Everyone, including our newest members, has shown incredible dedication to the squadron. They promote regularly and participate actively, and often go above and beyond to further their education and training" said Squadron Commander Captain Sean Beatty.

If you are interested in the squadron or membership opportunities, click here to visit their website.