Lt Col Oeth Selected as Next Wing Commander

Scott AFB – CAP Lt Col Ricky L. Oeth of Mascoutah has been selected as the next commander for the Civil Air Patrol’s Illinois Wing.  He will take the reins from CAP Col Gordon A. Larson on January 21, 2012, during a change of command ceremony at the Illinois Wing Headquarters located at the DuPage airport near Chicago.

            The Illinois wing is comprised of six groups and 32 squadrons with over 1,300 members throughout the state.  Lt Col Oeth has been the wing’s vice commander since February 2008.  Prior assignments were wing chief of staff from 2004 to 2008, and Group 12 commander from 2000 to 2004.  He has also commanded Illinois’ Johnson Flight Academy, teaching cadets to fly, since 2002, and was the deputy commandant of the National Emergency Services Academy (NESA) Incident Command Staff School this year.

            Lt Col Oeth is very active in the Civil Air Patrol’s Emergency Services mission.  Qualifications include Incident Commander Level 1, Planning Section Chief, Ground Branch Director, and a Master Ground Team Badge.  He also holds CAP master level ratings in finance and professional development.  Oeth is a graduate of the National Staff College, NESA Incident Command Advanced Course, State of Illinois Ground Search and Rescue Course, and the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) Search Management Course.  Decorations consist of the National Commander Commendation Award with clasp, Life Saving award, Great Lakes Region and Illinois Wing Senior Member of the Year, and the Meritorious Service Award.  As a cadet, Lt Col Oeth earned the Billy Mitchell Award, Amelia Earhart and Ira Eaker Awards..