National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol

Since 1975, the National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol (acronym: CAP/CC) 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.
List of officeholders.
Chairman of the National Board (1948–1975).
Upon 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.
CAP National Commanders (1975–present).
On 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.