anyone else notice how prominent CAP is mentioned in the stories about Fosset's plane going down? They make it sound like the CAP is incident commander of the search. Knowing that media is always wrong, any one know any more about it?
2) We had a thread about the aux being "absorbed" into the CG at large, website wise. Since the Air Force proper doesn't have SAR as a basic purpose (in the public's mind) like the USCG, and since it's aux is more autonomous, is this causing a difference in the visibility levels of the auxiliaries, and is that good or bad?

Technically for these sorts of interstate searches the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center is in charge in acoordance with international treaties regarding aviation search and rescue (meaning SAR for aviation targets, not using aviation as a SAR tool).

If they narrow it down to a specific state, then there are standing agreements between the AFRCC and each state over how these searches will be handled. The specifics of those agreements vary greatly from state to state. In most states, the state emergency management agency is technically in charge though most will have CAP act as the lead agency.

No matter where you are once the target is located then CAP turns over responsibility to local law enforcement as soon as possible.

I believe in this case CAP is the lead agency on the Nevada side and is a supporting agency on the CA side in accordance with the AFRCC-state agreements.

When it comes to SAR and disaster relief missions CAP is much more independent of the AF than the CG Aux is from the CG. Basically, when CAP is assigned a mission a CAP person serves as the IC and only reports back to the Air Force. The AF does hold final say over several things, but as far as mission strategy and tactics, that is pretty much left to CAP once the AF approves the mission. On a missing airplane search the AFRCC will make the final call on when the CAP part of a search will be suspended (though CAP can drop out earlier if they want--they hardly ever do).

The difference is that the CG Aux is not really trained or meant to really serve as an independently operating force. We provide single resource units to the CG for them to use, if they want, in responding to SAR and disaster relief missions.