CAP Members,

I am pleased to share that Col. John W. Erickson Jr. has been appointed as the new Chief of the Legal Officer Corps (CAP/JA) for Civil Air Patrol.

Col. Erickson brings an extraordinary breadth of experience in CAP, legal, operational, and leadership domains to this role. A member since 1985, he earned the Ira C. Eaker Award as a cadet and the Gill Robb Wilson Award as a senior member. He has served in six wings and five regions, served as a commander, and worked across multiple specialty tracks, including Cadet Programs, Personnel, Communications, Character Development, and Aerospace Education. He has also served on staff at Cadet Officer School, the Civic Leadership Academy, and the International Air Cadet Exchange.

In the Air Force, Col. Erickson serves as Staff Judge Advocate and Ethics Official for the 101st Air and Space Operations Group and the 601st Air and Space Operations Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. His career includes service as Chief of National Guard and Reserve Legal Operations for North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and as a trauma-informed sexual assault investigator for the National Guard Bureau. As a civilian, he has served as an Assistant District Attorney and Assistant Attorney General for the State of Alaska, and as a career law clerk for the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. For more than two decades, he has also taught criminal justice, criminology, and psychology at the college level.

His depth of experience and commitment to service will be tremendous assets as he leads our Legal Officer Corps and advises senior leadership. Please join me in welcoming Col. Erickson to our National Headquarters team.

I also want to thank Col. Matthew Phillips for his dedicated service as CAP/JA over the past five years. Matthew brought wisdom, wit, and a genuine servant’s heart to this role. His thoughtful counsel and commitment have made a meaningful difference for our members and our missions. We are deeply grateful for all he has given to Civil Air Patrol.

Major General Regena M. Aye, CAP

CEO/National Commander