Col. Oeth Joined CAP As Cadet In 1976

Colonel Rickey L. Oeth, of Mascoutah, IL, has been assigned to serve a four-year term as Civil Air Patrol's Illinois Wing Commander. He was formerly the wing’s vice commander.

CAP Great Lakes Region Commander Colonel Robert M. Karton presided over the official change of command ceremony at the Illinois Wing Headquarters based at DuPage County Airport in West Chicago, IL.

CAP was founded in December, 1941 to support the U.S. war effort in World War II, and is the official civilian, volunteer auxiliary of the United States Air Force. Its three main missions are Aerospace Education, the Cadet Program and Emergency Services. Nationally, CAP has over 60,000 cadet and adult volunteer members.

Oeth joined CAP as a cadet in 1976. His leadership positions have included serving as a group commander, wing chief of staff and, most recently, vice commander. In the organization's emergency services function, Oeth is a rated Incident Commander. He was appointed deputy commandant of the National Emergency Services Academy Incident Command Staff College in 2011.

In the private sector, Oeth works as the Technology Coordinator for the Sparta, IL Community School District 140. He has two masters degrees in music from the University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University. In 2004 Oeth completed all of the requirements necessary to receive CAP’s highest level of achievement, the Gill Robb Wilson Award.

Besides his commitment to CAP, Oeth is a member of the National Association for Search and Rescue, the Air Force Association and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia professional music fraternity. He's married and has two step-children. He is also an avid World War II history buff. (Photo: 1st. Lt. Mike Grenz)

FMI: www.gocivilairpatrol.com ; www.capvolunteernow.com