Edward D. Phelka

Edward D. Phelka is an American pilot who was the 25th Chief Executive Officer/National Commander of Civil Air Patrol.[1]  Phelka assumed command on  August 26, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan.  He served as CAP Chief Executive Officer and as an advisor to the CAP Board of Governors. He led the CAP Command Council and the CAP Senior Advisory Group (CSAG).  Phelka joined CAP as a Michigan Wing cadet in 1987.[2] He earned the General Carl A. Spaatz Award in 1993.  Phelka was the second Spaatz recipient to reach the rank of national commander.[3]

Phelka earned his pilot’s licence in 1998 and is a flight instructor, CAP mission pilot, cadet orientation pilot, and check pilot examiner. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, in economics and German.  He has worked as a senior customer service representative and operations manager at Northwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines and in the software industry.[4]

He and his wife, Amanda Phelka, have two children.[1]

CAP leadership roles

  • National Vice Commander from September 2017-August 2021[5]
  • Commander, Great Lakes Region, March 2015-September 2017
  • National Controller,  August 2011- January 2015
  • Commander, Colorado Wing, December 2007-April 2011
  • Commander, Livonia Thunderbolt Cadet Squadron, Michigan Wing
  • Commander, Southeast Michigan Group
  • Director of Cadet Programs, Michigan Wing
  • Director of Cadet Programs, Colorado Wing

References

  1. ^ a b "Maj. Gen. Edward D. Phelka, National Commander/CEO". Maj. Gen. Edward D. Phelka, National Commander/CEO. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  2. ^ "Phelka named national commander of 1AF's auxiliary: CAP". CONR-1AF (AFNORTH & AFSPACE). Archived from the original on 2025-08-03. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  3. ^ "Phelka, Aye Magnify Spaatz Experience for Cadets Learning to Lead". Phelka, Aye Magnify Spaatz Experience for Cadets Learning to Lead. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  4. ^ "National Vice Commander". sc074.cap.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-05-11. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  5. ^ staff, AOPA ePublishing (2021-05-26). "New CAP commander started as a cadet". www.aopa.org. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
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