AN INTERVIEW WITH TIMOTHY NELSON, FORMER CADET, MVLA, Sep. 2, 2025
MVLA: Tell us what happened that lead to termination.
I have been in the Twin Falls Civil Air Patrol cadet program for the past three and a half years, and a commander for a year and a half. And I was an aerospace instructor for the past month or two. I served faithfully.
Last Thursday (8/21/25) I shared a funny video from the Babylon Bee about careers in gender studies with two cadets in a group chat. One of them was “horribly offended” by it. When I went to CAP meeting that night I got told that they did not want to see me at the squadron anymore and that I was no longer welcomed, that I am homophobic for sending that kind of video and that I went against their LGBTQ Protection Policy.
Watch Babylon Bee video: https://babylonbee.com/video/9-exciting-careers-for-a-gender-studies-major
The CAP meeting started normally that day. After the meeting I walked outside to talk to one of the parents about a new cadet, how great their son is doing. The squadron commander and senior members called me inside for a private conversation. They said they were told that I had sent an anti-transgender video on a group chat. I said that I did send a video. He said I went against their LGBTQ policy and said that, basically, I was not allowed a hearing. I told the commander that, first of all, the chat is a non-Civil Air Patrol group chat, and that they joined on their own will.
MVLA: What are your thoughts going forward?
I feel the Twin Falls Civil Air Patrol is not creating leaders; it’s creating people who are not allowed to have an opinion.
I would not recommend any parent bringing their cadet into this program especially after being a cadet commander for years and this is how I get treated for one Babylon Bee video.
I want to bring this issue to some congressmen and continue to bring it up to parents.
I would love to start an aviation club where we actually allow people who really want to view aviation and have a lot of fun.
