National Command Chief of the Civil Air Patrol
| National Command Chief of Civil Air Patrol, US Air Force Auxiliary | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Incumbent since February 2022Chief Master Sgt. Todd H. Parsons | |
| Type | Senior Enlisted Advisor |
| Member of | CAP National Command Team |
| Reports to | CAP National Commander / CEO |
| Appointer | CAP National Commander / CEO |
| First holder | Chief Master Sgt. Lou Walpus |
| Website | https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/about/governance/cap-commandteam |
The Civil Air Patrol National Command Chief is the head of the CAP noncommissioned officer corps, a member of the CAP national command team and an advisor to the CAP National Commander / CEO.[1] The national command chief is also responsible for working with the US Air Force, especially the CAP-USAF commander.
The CAP Noncommissioned officer corps is made up of former NCOs of all branches of the US armed forces (Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Reserves or National Guard). These former military members can assume the same "grade" in the CAP that they had from E-4 to E-9.[2] CAP NCOs serve in similar roles as they did in the military - training, technicians, superintendents, etc. As of June 2025 there were approximately 500 members of the CAP NCO corps.[3] The current system of CAP NCOs was established in 1984 allowing former military to assume their previous rank or equivalent rank in the CAP.[4] And in 2013, the CAP created the current insignia of the NCO corps.
During the tenure of CAP Chief Master Sgt. Todd H. Parsons, the Civil Air Patrol added a new insignia[5] for the position of National Command Chief of the Civil Air Patrol. It is similar to the US Air Force Command Master Chief stripes, but with the USAF star replaced with the CAP Propeller. Unlike all the other senior CAP enlisted rank insignia, it does not contain the letters CAP in between the upper and lower chevrons, but has a single white star.
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Appointed By | Ref | |||
| 1 | -- | Chief Master Sgt. Lou E. Walpus | 2008 | 2014 | Maj. Gen. Amy Courter | [6] |
| 2 | -- | 2014 | 2017 | |||
| 3 | -- | Chief Master Sgt. Dennis H. Orcutt Jr. | August 2017 | August 2018 | Maj. Gen. Joseph Vazquez | [7][8] |
| 4 |  |
Chief Master Sgt. Robert Dandridge | August 2018 | February 2022 | Maj. Gen. Mark E. Smith | [7] |
| 5 | |
Chief Master Sgt. Todd H. Parsons | February 2022 | Present | Maj. Gen. Edward D. Phelka | [6] |
| 6 |  |
Chief Master Sgt. Luis E. Negron | Appointed | Maj. Gen. Regena M. Aye | [3] | |
See also
References
- ^ "CMSgt Todd H. Parsons". www.gocivilairpatrol.com. Archived from the original on 2025-07-03. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
- ^ "NCO Program". nj090.cap.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-05-10. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
- ^ a b "Next Command Chief, NCO Advisor Named". Next Command Chief, NCO Advisor Named. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
- ^ "Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Program". ohwg.cap.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-05-23. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
- ^ "CAPR 39-1, Civil Air Patrol Uniform Regulation" (PDF). Civil Air Patrol. April 16, 2025.
- ^ a b "New National Command Chief Named". New National Command Chief Named. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
- ^ a b "Dandridge Named New CAP National Command Chief". Dandridge Named New CAP National Command Chief. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
- ^ "Incoming Senior Staff Appointments Announced". Incoming Senior Staff Appointments Announced. Retrieved 2025-08-16.