Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force who, in 1975, became the first African American to reach the rank of four-star general in the United States Armed Forces. Three years later, James was forced to retire prematurely due to heart issues, just weeks before he died of a heart attack.
The Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AFROTC) is one of the three primary commissioning sources for officers in the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, the other two being the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) and Air Force Officer Training School (OTS). A subordinate command of the Air University within the Air Education and Training Command (AETC), AFROTC is aligned under the Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. The Holm Center, formerly known as the Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools (AFOATS), retains direct responsibility for both AFROTC and OTS.
The awards and decorations of Civil Air Patrol are "designed to recognize heroism, service, and program achievements" of members of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) of the United States of America. The CAP is the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force. These awards are made to improve the esprit de corps of members. These awards are all worn in the form of medals or ribbons and all are considered civilian decorations. Civil Air Patrol regulations allow them to only be worn and displayed on appropriate CAP uniforms.
A colonel in the United States Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, is the most senior field-grade military officer rank, immediately above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general. Colonel is equivalent to the naval rank of captain in the other uniformed services. By law, an officer previously required at least 22 years of cumulative service and a minimum of three years as a lieutenant colonel before being promoted to colonel. With the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, military services now have the authorization to directly commission new officers up to the rank of colonel. The pay grade for colonel is O-6.
The National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol is the highest senior official and commanding officer of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) — a non-profit corporation that is congressionally chartered to operate as the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. The National Commander also serves as the chief executive officer of CAP.
Retired Maj. Gen. Roosevelt Mercer Jr., SES, is the director of the Interagency Planning Office (IPO) for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) at the Federal Aviation Administration where he provides high-level leadership for interagency and international collaboration related to NextGen. He executes the collaborative processes needed to ensure efficient coordination among all federal partners whose decisions impact NextGen. The federal partner agencies include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Commerce (DOC), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) as an ex officio participant. Mr. Mercer is charged with providing executive direction to a dynamic multi-agency and international partnering organization focused on future NextGen technology, policy, and collaborative activities.
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes members from all backgrounds. The program is established as an organization by Title 10 of the United States Code and its purposes defined by Title 36.
The Connecticut Wing Civil Air Patrol is the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the state of Connecticut. Headquartered in Beers Hall at the Connecticut Valley Hospital campus in Middletown, Connecticut, Connecticut Wing (CTWG) has 12 primary subordinate units located throughout the state to help it carry out its missions. The missions include providing aerospace education and training for all of its members, teaching leadership skills to Connecticut youth, and performing various domestic emergency services for the United States of America in a noncombatant capacity.
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). It was created by Administrative Order 9 in December 1941, with Maj. Gen. John F. Curry as the first CAP national commander. The organization was originally formed to provide civilian air support to aid the war effort of World War II through border and coastal patrols, military training assistance, courier services and other activities. These efforts were recognized and, after the close of the war, Civil Air Patrol was transferred from the United States Army to the newly formed U.S. Air Force. Through the enactment of Public Law 79-476 by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Harry S. Truman, Civil Air Patrol was incorporated as a nonprofit organization of "volunteers and declared to be of a benevolent nature, never again to be involved in direct combat activities."
The Delaware Air National Guard (DE ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Delaware, United States of America. It is, along with the Delaware Army National Guard, an element of the Delaware National Guard as well as a reserve of the United States Air Force.
Maryland Wing, Civil Air Patrol is the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the U.S. state of Maryland. Its headquarters (HQ) is located in Granite, Maryland on the site of a former Nike Missile Base (BA-79). Granite is a tiny unincorporated community just northwest of Woodstock; the missile base and HQ have a listed mailing address of 3085 Hernwood Road Woodstock, MD. The Maryland Wing oversees 26 primary subordinate squadrons located throughout the state, including four school enrichment programs. The wing currently has a fleet of 11 aircraft made up of Cessna 172s, 182s, 206 and a Gippsland GA-8 Airvan. More than 1,400 members serve in Civil Air Patrol’s Maryland Wing.
Major General Amy S. Courter is the former National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol. She was elected by a unanimous decision of CAP's National Board on August 7, 2008.
Delaware Wing Civil Air Patrol is the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in the state of Delaware. Delaware Wing headquarters is located at Dover Air Force Base. It comprises seven squadrons from Claymont to Georgetown, and a unit just over the border in Elkton, Maryland. Delaware Wing is abbreviated as DEWG. As a federally chartered organization, CAP has 3 primary missions as instructed by Congress. The missions include providing aerospace education and training for all of its members, teaching leadership skills to Delaware youth, and performing various domestic emergency services for the United States of America in a noncombatant capacity.
Richard L. Anderson is an American politician. From 2010 through 2018 he served in the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 51st district in the Prince William County suburbs of Washington, D.C. He is a member of the Republican Party. Anderson lost his reelection bid in Virginia's November 2017 election. Since 2020, Anderson serves as the Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.
Charles L. "Chuck" Carr, CAP, is a two-star major general and the former 22nd National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol. He succeeded Maj Gen Amy Courter on August 17, 2011. On August 15, 2014, Maj Gen Carr relinquished command to Maj Gen Joseph Vazquez. He was previously the National Vice Commander and Great Lakes Region Commander.
The Ohio Wing (OHWG) of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the highest echelon of CAP in the state of Ohio. The Ohio Wing headquarters are located in Columbus at the Defense Supply Center, Columbus. The wing is a member of the Great Lakes Region of the CAP.
Florida WingCivil Air Patrol (CAP) is part of Southeast Region (SER) and the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the state of Florida. Florida Wing headquarters is on the Sun 'n Fun campus located at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida. Florida Wing consists of over 3,500 cadet and adult members at over 66 locations across the state of Florida. Col David Panzera assumed command from Col Luis Negron on April 6, 2024, at the Florida Wing Conference in Orlando, Florida.
Mark E. Smith is a major general and the 24th National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol. Maj Gen Smith succeeded Maj Gen Joseph Vazquez as National Commander on September 2, 2017. He led over 63,000 members across the U.S. in fulfilling CAP's congressionally chartered missions of Emergency Services, Cadet Programs and Aerospace Education, including Homeland Security as the newest member of the Air Force’s Total Force. He was previously the Southwest Region Commander and New Mexico Wing Commander.
Joseph R. "Joe" Vazquez is a major general in the Civil Air Patrol. He served as the 23rd National Commander from 2014 to 2017. The non-profit organization, founded in 1941 and tasked as the Auxiliary of the United States Air Force, has 60,000 volunteers and three congressionally-chartered missions: Emergency Services, Cadet Programs, and Aerospace Education.
Members of Civil Air Patrol are assigned various ranks, the titles and insignia of which are based on those used by the United States Air Force. Each grade and insignia corresponds to an equivalent United States Air Force enlisted rank insignia and an equivalent officer rank insignia.
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