By Blue Baugh | AuxBeacon News Contributor

[Editor’s Note: We received this in our inbox. Thank you for your contribution. Maj Gen Wheless was forced to resign because of an alleged sex affair that involved him with a paid CAP National employee.]

In a conference call with the Civil Air Patrol’s National Commander, Maj Gen Dwight Wheless, and the organizations wing commanders last night, Wheless said he was resigning as Commander no later than July 1, 2005.

CAP Brig Gen Tony Pineda will become CAP’s National Commander, with a concurrent promotion to Major General. Pineda was also on the conference call and said he would be not be making changes at this time. He asked CAP members to work together to continue to make the CAP the best that they can.

In a message to the CAP’s National Board and its Board of Governors, Wheless wrote:

Outside of the joy of my family and personal friends, my greatest joy in life has been my 24 years of service to my country through Civil Air Patrol. The past ten months since assuming command of this great organization have taken me all across the nation carrying our story of better than 64 years of commitment to the principles of freedom and liberty for all people, the protection of our shores, the training of young people in the ways of respect and discipline, and the teaching of the lessons of air power.

During these ten months I essentially retired from the practice of law to devote full time to this command, but I have clients I have served for 38 years who still rely on me for advice, and I have yet to fulfill my promise to finish the completion of our law office’s construction of a branch office and the training of new associates. Also, I seem to be missing all the junior baseball games and dance recitals that my grandchildren are involved in every weekend.

These months have also given me the opportunity to work closely with Brig Gen Tony Pineda, whom I have tried to expose to all facets of commanding Civil Air Patrol so that he could step into the command position seamlessly when the time came. Tony has been a loyal companion during these months and has shown me that he has the potential of being a fine commander.

I also believe our headquarters staff is a fine group of professionals, well-tuned, customer-oriented and will find great satisfaction and fulfillment ahead. I know that the staff and Col George Vogt will work well together and only good things will come from that.

So, believing a transition would not be harmful to this great organization at this time, I hereby tender my resignation from the office of national commander, to become effective no later than July 1, 2005, or earlier at an appropriate change of command ceremony at a time mutually agreed upon with Brig Gen Pineda.

I wish for Civil Air Patrol and all its members the continuation of our fine tradition of service to country, and the satisfaction of knowing that volunteer time in Civil Air Patrol has been well-spent.