Since 1975, the National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol is the highest senior official within the Civil Air Patrol. From 1941 until August 1975, the National Commander of CAP was an appointed active duty USAAF or USAF officer, typically a General Officer. In September 1975, this became a civilian position held by an active CAP member. Current and former National Commanders are the only members of the Civil Air Patrol who hold the CAP rank of Major General. The original name of this position was Chairman of the CAP Board. Gen Carl A. Spaatz, USAF, became the first Chairman after he retired from the Air Force in 1948. Since 2012, the National Commander also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the CAP Corporation. The current National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol is Major General Mark E. Smith.
USAAF/CAP-USAF Commanders
Maj Gen John F. Curry, USAAF, Dec 1941 - Mar 1942
Col Earle L. Johnson, USAAF, Mar 1942 - Feb 1947
Brig Gen Frederic H. Smith Jr., USAF, 21 Feb 1947 - 30 Sep 1947
Maj Gen Lucas V. Beau, USAF, 01 Oct 1947 - 31 Dec 1955
Maj Gen Walter R. Agee, USAF, 01 Jan 1956 - 31 Mar 1959
Brig Gen Stephen D. McElroy, USAF, 01 Apr 1959 - 15 Dec 1961
Col Paul C. Ashworth, USAF, 15 Dec 1961 - 31 Jul 1964
Col Joe L. Mason, USAF, 01 Aug 1964 - 30 Apr 1967
Brig Gen William W. Wilcox, USAF, 01 May 1967 - 31 Oct 1968
Maj Gen Walter B. Putnam, USAF, 01 Nov 1968 - 31 Oct 1969
Brig Gen Richard N. Ellis, USAF, 01 Nov 1969 - 31 Oct 1972
Brig Gen Leslie J. Westberg, USAF, 01 Nov 1972 - 28 Aug 1975
Brig Gen Car S. Miller, USAF, 29 Aug 1975 - Nov 1977
Brig Gen H. W. Miller, USAF, 01 Aug 1980 - Aug 1981
Brig Gen David L. Patton, USAF, Aug 1981 - May 1984
Col John T. Massingale Jr., USAF, May 1984 - 31 Oct 1989
Col Clyde O. Westbrook Jr., USAF, 01 Nov 1989 - Jun 1990
Col Joseph M. Nall, USAF, Jun 1990 - Aug 1992
Col Ronald T. Sampson, USAF, Aug 1992 - Mar 1995
Col Garland W. Padgett Jr., USAF, Mar 1995 - May 1998
Col Dennis B. Parkhurst, USAF, May 1998 - Jul 2001
Col Albert A. Allenback, USAF, Jul 2001 - Jul 2002
Col George C. Vogt, USAF, Jul 2002 - Oct 2005
Col Russell D. Hodgkins Jr., USAF, Oct 2005 - Apr 2009
Col William R. Ward, USAF, Apr 2009 - 31 Jun 2011
Col George H. Ross III, USAF, 01 Jul 2011 - 04 Oct 2011
Col Paul D. Gloyd II, USAF, 04 Oct 2011 - May 2014
Col Jay Updegraff, USAF, May 2014 - Aug 2014
Col Michael D. Tyynismaa, USAF, Aug 2014 - Apr 2019
Col Mark A. Wootan, USAF, Apr 2019–present
Chairman of the National BoardUpon adoption of the CAP Constitution and Bylaws on 26 May 1948, the CAP Board was redesignated as the National Executive Board (NEB), but the designation was later changed to the National Executive Committee (NEC) on 26 April 1960
Gen Carl A. Spaatz, USAF, Aug 1948 - Apr 1959
Col D. Harold Byrd, CAP, Apr 1959 - Apr 1960
Col William C. Whelen, CAP, Apr 1960 - Apr 1962
Col Paul W. Turner, CAP, Sep 1962 - Oct 1965
Brig Gen Lyle W. Castle, CAP, Oct 1965 - Oct 1968
Brig Gen F. Ward Reilly, CAP, Oct 1968 - Oct 1970
Brig Gen Samuel H. DuPont, Jr., CAP, Oct 1970 - Oct 1973
Brig Gen William M. Patterson, CAP, Oct 1973 - Aug 1975
CAP National CommandersOn 1 September 1975, the original CAP title of Chairman of the National Board was redesignated as National Commander, and the US Air Force-appointed National Commander became the Executive Director. On 8 March 1995 during a reorganization of CAP National Headquarters, the title of Executive Director was changed to Senior Air Force Advisor.
Brig Gen William M. Patterson, CAP, Sep 1975 - Sep 1976
Brig Gen Thomas C. Casaday, CAP, Sep 1976 - Sep 1979
Brig Gen Johnnie Boyd, CAP, Sep 1979 - Aug 1982
Brig Gen Howard L. Brookfield, CAP, Aug 1982 - Aug 1984
Brig Gen William B. Cass, CAP, Aug 1984 - Mar 1986
Brig Gen Eugene E. Harwell, CAP, Mar 1986 - Aug 1990
Brig Gen Warren J. Barry, CAP, Aug 1990 - Aug 1993
Brig Gen Richard L. Anderson, CAP, Aug 1993 - Aug 1996
Brig Gen Paul M. Bergman, CAP, Aug 1996 - Mar 1998
Brig Gen James C. Bobick, CAP, Mar 1998 - Aug 2001
Brig Gen Richard L. Bowling, CAP, Aug 2001 - Dec 2002
Maj Gen Richard L. Bowling, CAP, Dec 2002 - Aug 2004
Maj Gen Dwight H. Wheless, CAP, Aug 2004 - Jul 2005
Senior Member Antonio J. Pineda, CAP, Jul 2005-Oct 2007
Brig Gen Amy S. Courter, CAP, Oct 2007 - Aug 2008
Maj Gen Amy S. Courter, CAP, Aug 2008 - Aug 2011
Maj Gen Charles L. “Chuck” Carr Jr., CAP, Aug 2011 - Aug 2014
Maj Gen Joseph R. Vasquez, CAP, Aug 2014 - Sep 2017
