Shelbyville Composite Squadron was formed in March of 1972. The original meeting place for the squadron was in the City Hall of Shelbyville. During the middle of 1972 the squadron made its move to a new meeting location at the Shelbyville Airport. In the fall of 1972 the squadron moved again to its current home at the Shelbyville National Guard Armory. For its first few years of operations, during the summer months, meetings were held back at the Shelbyville Airport. But for the past 25 years, Shelbyville Composite Squadron has called the Shelbyville National Guard Armory home year around. Today meetings are held on Thursday evening at 6:30PM. Shelbyville Composite Squadron has always been an Emergency Services oriented unit. In the first 10 years, Shelbyville Composite Squadron specialized in Communications. At one point, 80% of the Squadron members had their Amateur Radio License. Since the early 1980's, Shelbyville has specialized in Ground Search and Rescue. Shelbyville's Search and Rescue Ground Team has won the Great Lakes Region SARCOMP (Search and Rescue Competition) in 1990 (a National SARCOMP was cancelled due to budget constraints) and has also won the Indiana Wing SARCOMP in 1997 (the last official SARCOMP in Indiana). Squadron Culture The first and foremost is the squadron's four-leaf clovers found on the Ground Team helmets, gear and in the display of a shamrock in the squadron patch. The origin of the clover as a symbol of the squadron is credited to Lt. Colonel Mark Ashcraft who affixed a clover to his Ground Team helmet one day for luck and it caught on with the rest of the team. The clover came from an interest in heraldry that was developed while Lt. Colonel Ashcraft participated in the International Air Cadet Exchange Program to England and Scotland in 1976. This interest in history also lead to frequent playing of bagpipe music and the adoption of "Scotland the Brave" as the squadron theme song. From some industrious rigging of the squadron van, it became a tradition to arrive at mission base playing "Scotland the Brave" over the P.A. It is a tradition in Scotland to be "piped" onto base. Along with the Scottish and Celtic ties was the creation of a squadron motto. The squadron motto: Deidhinn A Cion" is a Gaelic phrase meaning "For the Love". The Gaelic term for love was selected for its root meaning of unconditional love and that is believed to describe the dedication and unselfish devotion of the members of the Shelbyville Composite Squadron. The research and final translation can be credited to Captain Kristofor Copes. Shelbyville has a distinguished line of Squadron Commanders. Steve Soller* - 1972 1LT Edward Reilley* - 1973-74 Capt Gary Hughes* - 1974-76 Capt William Ruddick*^ - 1976-79 Capt Glen Hobbs* - 1979-82 LTC Mark Ashcraft* - 1982-92 Capt David Finkel* - 1992-93 1LT Robin Ashcraft - 1993-94 Capt James Brown - 1994-95 LTC Robert Seymour - 1995-2000 LTC Mark Ashcraft* - 2000-2002 Capt Jeremy Reynolds - 2002-Present * founding member of the Squadron ^deceased