About the Wing

Organization & Leadership

Wing Headquarters Organizational Chart

This chart is displayed live through Google Slides. Click the "3 dots" icon on the bottom left to enter full screen view.

For more internal CAP information about wing headquarters, go to Intranet.NatCapWing.org, which required a NatCap Apps account to view. To email anyone on the wing staff, use the office symbol shown in parentheses on the organizational chart above along with @natcapwg.cap.gov.

With the exception of the wing adminstrator, all personnel are unpaid volunteers. Civil Air Patrol is a member-managed nonprofit organization.

Wing Leadership Team Bios

Commander: Col. David E. Sterling

Col. David E. Sterling is the commander of Civil Air Patrol’s National Capital Wing. Col Sterling is a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force where he earned the rating of master navigator with more than 3,000 hours in C-141, HC-130, T-43, and EC-130 aircraft. He served in the Southeast Asia conflict as a rescue navigator flying the HC-130 from Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. He was an instructor navigator in all four aircraft. At the U.S. Air Force Academy, Sterling was an assistant professor and course director for Advanced Avionics Systems and Electronic Warfare. He also taught courses in aircraft navigation and electrical engineering.

As part of the initial cadre to establish Compass Call as an electronic combat system, Sterling was the officer-in-charge of fielding the mission simulator. After transitioning to the acquisition career field, he was the program manager at Hanscom AFB, Mass., for the Caribbean Basin Radar Network taking the program from concept to contract award and receiving the Acquisition Certification Level II designation. He served as the director of management support under the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition in the Pentagon for all Air Force tactical acquisition programs including aircraft, weapons, and mission systems.

After retiring from the Air Force, Sterling was a key member of the Motorola team to establish IRIDIUM as a worldwide cellular telephone system. Later, he worked for Adroit Systems as a program manager and then as vice president providing consulting services to the Department of Defense in the areas of airborne and space intelligence and reconnaissance. He was also a member of the Adroit Board of Directors. When the employee-owned company was sold in 2003, Sterling took the opportunity to retire again.

Sterling joined Civil Air Patrol’s National Capital Wing in 2011. He served as commander of the Arlington Composite Squadron. From 2015 to 2019, Sterling acted as the CAP National Headquarters liaison to the Air Staff. He then became the wing’s assistant director of operations. He is rated as a CAP senior pilot and qualified as a check pilot and incident commander. He was also a ground instructor at CAP’s Butler National Flight Academy for four years. Sterling holds a CAP master rating in operations and a senior rating in the command specialty tracks, and he has completed all five levels of CAP’s education and training program.

Sterling holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is a graduate of the Air Force Squadron Officer School, the Air Command and Staff College, and the Air War College.

Email: sterling.d@natcapwg.cap.gov

Vice Commander: Lt. Col. Aaron Newman

Lt. Col. Aaron Newman is the vice commander of Civil Air Patrol's National Capital Wing. He previously served as the wing chief of staff and the commander of Arlington Composite Squadron. He has also served as the director of information technology for CAP's Middle East Region (now Mid-Atlantic Region) and continues to assist the region headquarters when needed.

Newman is an active participant in the emergency services programs for the wing both as an aircrew member and as a radio communications professional. He has been recognized for his leadership in serving as course director for a CAP Squadron Leadership School, as an instructor for a CAP Corporate Learning Course, and as project officer for the Civil Air Patrol Annual Memorial Ceremony. He also led a successful effort to modernize the website and email services for the region headquarters.

Newman was born in New York City. He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as an engineer’s degree in information technology from George Mason University.

Newman joined Civil Air Patrol in September 2011. Outside of the organization, he is a principal data scientist and program manager with Whiteboard Federal.

Email: newman.a@natcapwg.cap.gov

Chief of Staff: Lt. Col. John E. Davies

Lt. Col. John Davies was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He received his commission as a second lieutenant, U.S. Army, upon graduation from the University of Connecticut in 1974.

His Army command assignments include Commander, 209th Military Police Company, Fort Meade, Maryland; Deputy Brigade Commander, 14th Military Police Brigade, Kornwestheim, Germany; Commander 793rd Military Police Battalion, Furth, Germany; Commander, Military Police Brigade Panama, Fort Clayton, Panama.

Davies’ other active duty assignments include Organizational Effectiveness Consultant, VII Corps, Mohringen, Germany; Military Assistant, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Pentagon; Director, Officer Personnel Management Division, 1st Personnel Command, Schwetzingen, Germany; Director, Combat Development, U.S. Army Military Police School, Fort McClellan, Alabama and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Assistant Commandant, Military Police School, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and Deputy Director, Military Personnel Policy, Army G-1, Washington, DC.

Davies has completed the Military Police Officer Basic and Advanced Courses; the Army Command and General Staff College; and the National War College. He earned an MBA in Behavioral Psychology from the Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, California in 1980 and a Masters of National Security and Strategic Studies from the National Defense University, Washington, D.C., in 1996.

His Army awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (3 OLC), Soldier's Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC).

Davies was a cadet in CAP’s Connecticut Wing from 1965 and converted to CAP senior member before entering the Army in 1974. He rejoined CAP in 2007. His CAP awards include National Commanders Commendation (2015); National Capital Wing Property Manager of the Year (2007, 2008, 2010, 2016, 2017); Region Property Manager of the Year (2010, 2017).

He currently works for the Association of the United States Army.

Email: john.davies@natcapwg.cap.gov