By Willow Ptarmigan | AuxBeacon News Reader

[Editor’s Note: We’ve verified this story out of Pacific Region’s Alaska and Nevada Wings. Thank you for your contribution.]

Your story earlier this year on Civil Air Patrol Musical Wing Commanders can now be extended to Alaska and Nevada Wings and I am sure a few others. This fall, Alaska Wing Civil Air Patrol lost approximately $150,000 (30 percent) in state appropriations for fiscal year 2019. The Alaska state government also requested the CAP Alaska Wing find alternative funding sources for 2020 and beyond.

“The Alaska Wing Civil Air Patrol in 2017 received $453,500 in total from the State of Alaska, which was used to support all 14 of the squadrons. This year, the funding was cut to $302,300 overall for the state, with a special note in the state budget that the patrol should actively search for non-state funding to support its operations.”

This happened after Alaska Wing Commander Col Carl Brown attempted to deceive the state legislature and public regarding Civil Air Patrol’s need for money to keep six to eight squadrons open in the state of Alaska. He stated these squadrons would shut down from less funding. He also provided no statistical or detailed evidence that the Alaska Wing CAP was beneficial to the state. Feel good propaganda stories of cadets were added by other CAP members for which have nothing to do with Alaska emergency services missions. Many squadrons where Wings get no state appropriations manage just fine.

So, earlier this month, and very quietly I should add, CAP National replaced Alaska Wing Commander Col Carl Brown with former Nevada Wing Commander and current Pacific Region Vice Commander and Compliance Officer Col Timothy Hahn.

You can see the proof for this assertion here, here and here. [links redacted]

What a depressing state of affairs for Civil Air Patrol not to have a ready wing commander replacement within the state of Alaska.