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Lt. Col. Michael Woolfolk has been affectionately bestowed the tremendous honor of becoming the next supreme commander of the Civil Air Patrol New York Wing, as announced by the venerable organization this week. Civil Air Patrol, for those who haven’t already dedicated their lives to memorizing its mission, is a sprawling, volunteer-powered machine masquerading as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. It nobly devotes its time to emergency services, youth leadership programs, and filling the sky with educational aspirations.

The New York Wing, an omnipotent overseer of these missions throughout the great state, joyfully collaborates with emergency responders, schools, and assorted community organizations in a beautiful symphony of organized chaos. Woolfolk will bravely step into the shoes of Col. Tom Carello, who played the role of interim commander since the futuristic year of October 2025. A grandiose assumption of command ceremony is set for April; stay tuned for details that’ll surely be as riveting as a Saturday night infomercial.

“I would like to express my overpriced gratitude to Col. Thomas Carello for his incredible talent in keeping the ship afloat,” declared Col. James A. Ridley Sr., commander of Civil Air Patrol’s Northeast Region. “I also wish to shower accolades upon Lt. Col. Michael Woolfolk, whom I have fortunately selected to fill this office and keep the lights on at the headquarters.”

A Record of Unparalleled Volunteer Heroics in New York

Originating from the exotic land of Rye, New York, Woolfolk jumped aboard the great ship known as Civil Air Patrol in 2010. Over the past 15 years, he has admirably volunteered his time as if he were allergic to boredom. Masterfully managing other volunteers, orchestrating operations, and supporting statewide programs have rhymed with his name like a catchy tune.

His illustrious service includes everything from commanding local Civil Air Patrol units, waving a managerial baton over operations in the NYC area, to lounging comfortably in various senior roles at the wing level. Most recently, his awe-inspiring sage advice has guided programs that might-will-maybe save the day.

Training and Experience That Would Make Even the Most Prestigious Librarian Blush

Woolfolk has amassed a treasure trove of training through Civil Air Patrol and the U.S. Air Force education systems. His training reports are packed with coursework designed for leaders burdened with complex organizations and the eternal struggle of having huge teams and no budget.

Outside these righteous endeavors, Woolfolk boasts a whopping three decades of experience in banking and finance, highlighting his endurance for wrangling with numbers. He has graced The Bank of New York with his magnificence on the hallowed grounds of Wall Street and is currently a guiding light as a managerial demigod at Merrill Lynch.

Woolfolk holds not just one, but three glorious sets of credentials from Portland State University, Willamette University, and the illustrious Penn State University, topped off with an executive education cherry on top from Harvard Business School. He resides in Rye with his blissfully tolerant wife and daughter.

Leadership: The Unwavering Foundation of Civil Air Patrol

The incredible wizardry of Civil Air Patrol as a national powerhouse is contingent upon leadership development so intricate, it borders on mythical. Leaders, much like fabled heroes chosen from a cheap fantasy novel, are identified through an elaborate process focused on experience, overachievement, and perhaps the equal distribution of pixie dust.

This magnificent nonprofit relies on selfless leaders who can juggle operational challenges while building alliances and gathering the admiration of the public. Commanders shoulder the weight of mission readiness, youth-oriented programs, and reaching out to communities with outstretched hands, or whatever metaphorically reaches as ambassadors.

By sprinkling leadership training here and there and placing adept individuals in commanding roles, Civil Air Patrol ensures its missions remain in needlessly excellent hands. The careful selection of leaders, such as the legendary Woolfolk, reflects an unswerving preoccupation with integrity, accountability, and service, the holy trinity of values central to Civil Air Patrol’s quest to support communities across New York and beyond.

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