Fifteen Commanders From Across Civil Air Patrol Hone Their Leadership Skills At CAP National Headquarters

The intense, graduate-level week long course prepares the participants, which include one region commander and 14 wing commanders, to be better commanders as well as members of the CAP Command Council. Participants are selected for the course by their region commander and must be approved by Maj. Gen. Joe Vazquez, CAP’s national commander.

The program focuses on three main blocks of study: leading the organization, wing commander responsibilities and focus lessons. The curriculum features seminars, lectures and hands-on exercises in 20 sessions on such topics as leadership, accountability, expectations of commanders, legislative affairs, media and branding, safety, ethics, legal matters, helping CAP grow, finances and resources.

By the college’s end, participants will have a better understanding of how to select and develop subordinate unit commanders as well as how to manage CAP’s emergency services, aerospace education, cadet, information technology, public affairs, membership development and logistics programs.

For the second straight year, Col. Jon Stokes, who served as California Wing commander from August 2011-September 2015, is the course director. The college got underway with Vazquez’s presentation on “CAP Command Perspective.”

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Steven L. Kwast, the commander and president of Air University at Maxwell AFB, addressed the participants on “Ethics and the Commander.” As the senior leader at the intellectual and leadership center of the Air Force, Kwast provides full spectrum education, research and outreach at every level through professional military education, professional continuing education and academic degree granting. Kwast spoke on the importance of servant leadership.

The course also included presentations by CAP-USAF’s commander, Air Force Col. Michael Tyynismaa, and vice commander, Air Force Col. Sammy Pierce; John Salvador, CAP interim chief operating officer; and numerous directors, assistant directors and subject-matter experts at National Headquarters.

FMI: www.capvolunteernow.com