New Wing King

[Smokey]

From Military.com....
Schimelfening to lead Civil Air Patrol wing

The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Jan 23, 2010 14:20:10 EST
   
CHAMBERLAIN, S.D. — Maj. Teresa Schimelfening of Vermillion is assuming command of the Civil Air Patrol's South Dakota Wing.

Schimelfening takes the reins from Col. Mike Beason of Rapid City, who has held the wing commander position for four years and six months.

Upon taking command Saturday at the wing's conference in Chamberlain, Schimelfening will be promoted to colonel, which is temporary until completion of her four-year term as wing commander.

Schimelfening is an Army veteran who served on active duty from May 1976 until February 1985, beginning her service in the Women's Army Corps. She joined the Civil Air Patrol in February 2004.

Must be big news to be an AP story !!!!

Wow...only just short of 6 years in CAP and already Wing CC!!!!   

[flyguy06]

Must be the year for Ladies.


Lt. Col. Lisa Robinson Appointed Wing Commander-Elect for Alabama Wing   


Lt. Col. Lisa Robinson, of Birmingham, Alabama, has been selected as the Wing Commander-elect for the Alabama Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.  The Change of Command Ceremony will be held at the Wing Conference in Birmingham, February 6-7, 2010.  Col. Michael Oakman, current wing commander also of Birmingham, will relinquish command to her in a formal ceremony presided over by national and regional officers with Alabama CAP volunteers in attendance.  Robinson will be the first woman to command the Alabama Wing.


Lt. Col. Robinson has completed the five levels of senior member training, concluding with the Gill Robb Wilson Award in December, 2007.  This award recognizes those senior members who have dedicated themselves to leadership and personal development in Civil Air Patrol.  It was first awarded in 1964 and honors the late Gill Robb Wilson, the founder of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and its first executive officer.

Each level required Robinson to become more involved in CAP activties, master skills in one of 23 technical areas and develop leadership ability.  She has a master rating in flight operations and cadet programs, as well as a senior rating in public affairs.  A private pilot, she is also a Satellite-Transmitted Digital Imagining System (SDIS) operator, a mission observer, and mission Information Officer in addition to other ES qualifications.
She has multiple Civil Air Patrol awards, including an Exceptional Service Award, Commander's Commendation with three bronze clasps, and the Yeager Award.  Other awards were given for her excellence in service to the Alabama Wing and Civil Air Patrol.

Lt. Col. Robinson is currently Chief of Staff and Acting Vice Commander for the Alabama Wing.  She has held commander, deputy commander for seniors at Alabama's 117th CAP Squadron in Birmingham. She completed National Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Ala, in 2007.


Robinson is employed by the Baptist Health System in Birmingham, Ala., as an application analyst, providing 24-hour support for the Radiology Management System, networked to seven facilities.  She earned an Associate Degree in Applied Science in Radiological Technology with honors from Jefferson State Jr. College, a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

[Stonewall]

How long has Robinson been in CAP?

[Cecil DP]

Wow...only just short of 6 years in CAP and already Wing CC!!!!

It never said in that article just how long she had been a member of CAP. But the late Col Julius Goldman of MAWG and later NER wasn't even a member of CAP (In fact until that time he had a very bad opinion of CAP, based on his experience as a FBO owner) when he was asked to accept Command of MAWG in 1965

[JC004]

She joined when I was a C/Major.  Newbies... 

[RiverAux]

Shouldn't it be "Wing Queen?"

[EMT-83]

Must be the year for Ladies.

Lt Col Cassandra Huchko will be the new Connecticut Wing Queen.

[flyguy06]

And I would be remiss not to mention my own Wing Commander COL Tonya Boylan who took command of GAWG Last November.

[Cherokeepilot]

I am certain that all these folks are well qualified, but are any of them pilots?
73s

[Spike]

oh no....its a conspiracy conspired by our National Commander (who just happens to be female!!) 

[RiverAux]

I am certain that all these folks are well qualified, but are any of them pilots?
73s

Why does that matter?  If CAP really thought it important that wing commanders be pilots, it could easily make it a requirement.  Of course, we all know that it is almost an unoffical requirement...

[flyguy06]

I am certain that all these folks are well qualified, but are any of them pilots?
73s

The incomming ALWG Commander is a Private pilot.

[DG]

  Of course, we all know that it is almost an unoffical requirement...

In your dreams.

[RiverAux]

  Of course, we all know that it is almost an unoffical requirement...

In your dreams.

Are you disputing the fact that pilots disproportionally serve in command slots in CAP?  I'm not even saying that it shouldn't be that way, but it is a fact that non-pilot Wing Commanders are in the minority when in fact an overwhelming majority of CAP senior members are not pilots. 

This "rule" isn't quite as strong at the squadron level, but non-pilots in command of flying squadrons are pretty rare (though it happens -- heck, I was one). 

[exFlight Officer]

And I would be remiss not to mention my own Wing Commander COL Tonya Boylan who took command of GAWG Last November.

Beat me to it.

[AlphaSigOU]

And I would be remiss not to mention my own Wing Commander COL Tonya Boylan who took command of GAWG Last November.

She and I are grads of the 2009 Pacific Region Staff College. Very belated congrats to her!

[Spike]

  Of course, we all know that it is almost an unofficial requirement...

In your dreams.

Are you disputing the fact that pilots disproportionally serve in command slots in CAP?  I'm not even saying that it shouldn't be that way, but it is a fact that non-pilot Wing Commanders are in the minority when in fact an overwhelming majority of CAP senior members are not pilots. 

This "rule" isn't quite as strong at the squadron level, but non-pilots in command of flying squadrons are pretty rare (though it happens -- heck, I was one).

You are correct!  It is because pilots are in the "club" (even if we don't want to acknowledge that "club").  They meet other pilots, those pilots are able to make it to distant staff meetings, and it cycles.  Very few Region and Wing Commanders are "non-rated". 

[flyguy06]

So, how many members are in the SDWG? Thats a wing I dont hear much about.

[Al Sayre]

Had the pleasure of meeting both the new AL & GA WG/CC this past weekend, they seemed quite nice and very competent.

[DG]

  Of course, we all know that it is almost an unoffical requirement...

In your dreams.

Are you disputing the fact that pilots disproportionally serve in command slots in CAP?  I'm not even saying that it shouldn't be that way, but it is a fact that non-pilot Wing Commanders are in the minority when in fact an overwhelming majority of CAP senior members are not pilots. 

This "rule" isn't quite as strong at the squadron level, but non-pilots in command of flying squadrons are pretty rare (though it happens -- heck, I was one).

I have been told that the USAF would not have a non-pilot in command of a USAF flying unit (pilots) up through and including Wing.

But, as I have been told many times by my good friends here...,

we are not the USAF.