Rising CAP Leaders Headed to Alabama for National Staff College

    May 21, 2017
    The training at National Staff College is a requirement for earning the Gill Robb Wilson Award, CAP’s highest professional development achievement.
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    MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. – Beginning Sunday, 86 of Civil Air Patrol’s rising leaders will gather in Alabama for a weeklong activity that will sharpen their skills for executive-level success in CAP.

    National Staff College, coordinated out of CAP National Headquarters at Maxwell AFB, is an annual professional development opportunity instrumental in CAP’s success as a premier public service organization in America and as the U.S. Air Force auxiliary.

    The college is designed for Civil Air Patrol senior members who are, or will be, assuming leadership positions at the wing, regional or national levels within CAP.

    “National Staff College helps our adult officers build their professional development portfolios and enhance their leadership experience,” said CAP National Commander Maj. Gen. Joe Vazquez. “Their week at Maxwell will help them become better leaders in CAP and in their communities.”

    The curriculum includes seminar discussions, case studies and exercises, along with presentations by top officials inside and outside the organization. Participants in the seven-day course concentrate on executive leadership, management, organizational behavior and policy formulation while examining CAP’s national-level operations in great detail.

    The benefits extend beyond Civil Air Patrol. The leadership, communication and executive management skills, made available through the course at a fraction of what such classes would cost at various schools and universities, are in high demand by employers in all industries.

    Col. Jean Desmarais, CAP’s national professional development officer, is director for National Staff College.

    “We’re really excited about this year’s class,” said Desmarais, adding that it is one of the largest classes in recent years. “We have a very diverse group of leaders coming here from 33 different states, plus Puerto Rico, to learn from our Air Force, Army and CAP experts.”

    The training at National Staff College is a requirement for earning the Gill Robb Wilson Award, CAP’s highest professional development achievement. Because of the course’s graduate-level design and its focus on national-level operations, participation is usually restricted to members who hold the CAP grade of major or above and chief and senior master sergeants who have completed CAP’s Region Staff College or its equivalent and have received their wing commanders’ endorsement.