NEWS: Collom assumes command of Mt. Vernon squadron

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — Officiated by National Capital Wing Commander Col. Richard Cooper, Lt. Col. Bruce Heinlein relinquished command of Civil Air Patrol’s Mount Vernon Composite Squadron to Capt. Catherine Collom at the squadron headquarters on Davison Army Airfield Sept. 24.

Collom originally joined Civil Air Patrol as a cadet in California Wing’s Van Nuys Squadron. After a break in membership, she rejoined as an adult officer in 1991. She then served in California CAP squadrons in Fresno, Danville and San Fernando Valley.

An accomplished private pilot, Collom earned her wings at the age of 16 at Van Nuys Airport. Her private pilot license was earned a year later, and at 18 she earned her commercial and instrument ratings. At age 20, Collom became a certified flight instructor and has eight years of experience as the chief flight instructor at the Fresno FBO (Fixed-Base Operation). She taught private, commercial, instrument and flight instructor students.

Heinlein, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, will remain in the Mount Vernon Composite Squadron to continue to participate in CAP’s emergency services program. As a CAP-rated mission pilot, Heinlein has been active in National Capital and Texas wings in support of homeland security and emergency services missions.

Civil Air Patrol’s National Capital Wing currently has 222 volunteer officers and senior members and 123 cadets in the Washington, D.C., metro area. Federal employees and military personnel can support CAP through the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area – CFC charity number 26757.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 56,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the Air Force with saving 91 lives in fiscal year 2008. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the nearly 22,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 67 years.

For more information and media inquires about CAP and its missions in the national capital area, e-mail NatCap Wing Public Affairs at pa@natcapwg.cap.gov.


By Col. Jane E. Davies
National Capital Wing