GLR News

Building the Backbone: Great Lakes Region Hosts Inaugural NCO Professional Education Academy

By MSgt Angela Felts
FORT KNOX, KY — 14–16 November 2025

The Great Lakes Region (GLR) made history this November by hosting Civil Air Patrol’s first-ever Noncommissioned Officer Professional Education Academy (NCO PEA). Forty-four NCOs from across the nation gathered at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for a three-day, immersive, in-residence professional development experience designed to strengthen the backbone of CAP’s enlisted corps.

The Academy combined three cornerstone courses: the NCO Orientation Course (NCOOC), the NCO Development Course (NCODC), and the Senior NCO Leadership Course (SNCOLC) into a unified weekend of education, mentorship, and practical application. What emerged was more than a training event; it was a milestone for CAP’s enlisted leadership, setting a new standard for professional development and reinforcing the vital role NCOs play across the organization.

A Vision Becomes Reality

For years, CAP NCOs have called for structured, in-person professional education modeled after the military’s enlisted development system. While officer development has long been standardized, enlisted members often lacked a unified path for professional growth.

The GLR recognized this gap and stepped forward to lead the effort. Under the guidance of CMSgt Cory Felts, GLR Senior Enlisted Leader and director of the Academy, the program was designed to provide a structured, multi-tiered curriculum that reflects both CAP-specific responsibilities and military best practices.

“What we saw this weekend was the very best of our enlisted corps,” Chief Felts stated. “These NCOs traveled from across the country for one reason…to be better for their commanders, better for their teams, and better for Civil Air Patrol.”

He emphasized the distinction—and the expectation—of CAP’s enlisted force:

“CAP NCOs are not parallel to military NCOs in authority, but they are absolutely parallel in professional expectation. Our NCOs bring decades of experience from the Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve components of our armed forces. That diversity of background makes CAP stronger.”

Nationwide Participation: Representation Across Seven Regions

The Academy drew participants from across the country, reflecting a wide array of missions, experience, and military backgrounds:

• Great Lakes Region (GLR): Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Indiana, Region HQ
• North East Region (NER): Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Region HQ
• North Central Region (NCR): Minnesota, Missouri
• Middle East Region (MER): North Carolina
• Southeast Region (SER): Florida, Georgia, Tennessee
• Southwest Region (SWR): Texas
• Overseas Group

From Air National Guard Maintainers to those who served as Marine Corps Infantrymen, Army Supply NCOs to Navy Corpsman, this diversity enhanced discussion, mentorship, and problem-solving throughout the weekend.

The message was clear: CAP’s enlisted corps is committed to professional growth and is ready to embrace structured development.

Curriculum Built on Standards and Real-World Application

The Academy’s three courses were designed to mirror military professional education while remaining tailored to CAP’s unique volunteer mission. Each course focused on leadership, advising, and professional standards appropriate to the participant’s grade and role.

NCO Orientation Course (NCOOC): Foundation for New NCOs

• Roles and responsibilities of CAP NCOs
• Heritage and purpose of enlisted leadership in CAP
• Integration into the chain of command
• Customs, courtesies, and professional standards
• Entry-level advising and leadership expectations
• Understanding CAP culture and organizational mission

NCO Development Course (NCODC): Developing Effective Leaders

• Leadership fundamentals and team dynamics
• Communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making
• Mentorship practices for junior members
• Advising commanders at squadron and group levels
• Scenario-based exercises to mirror real-world challenges

Senior NCO Leadership Course (SNCOLC): Strategic Advising

• Executive communication and senior-level advising
• Organizational culture, climate analysis, and ethics
• Wing and region-level leadership responsibilities
• Developing and mentoring the NCO corps
• CAP-specific case studies and operational scenarios

Instruction included seminars, guided discussions, applied case studies, peer mentoring and scenario exercises. This approach ensured lessons were immediately applicable in participants’ home units.

Expert Instruction: Decades of Leadership Experience

The Academy’s instructor cadre featured senior NCOs with deep CAP and military experience:

• CMSgt Dennis Orcutt, National Command Chief #3
• CMSgt James Gregory, Overseas Group SEL
• CMSgt Mike Mudry, former NCR SEL
• CMSgt Eric Perham, GLR NCO Advisor
• CMSgt Cory Felts, GLR SEL
• SMSgt Kris Matthews, former GLR NCO Advisor

Virtual remarks by CMSgt Luis Negron, National Command Chief #6, emphasized the broader significance of the Academy:

“The NCO Professional Education Academy is an investment in our people. It empowers our members with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead with excellence. This Academy is not simply additional education—it provides a guided transition from military service to volunteer service, strengthening our ability to support our communities and develop our youth. When we invest in our people, we strengthen our organization—and the NCO Professional Education Academy does exactly that.”

Command Support: Leadership Endorsement at the Highest Level

The Academy drew full support from GLR command leadership. Col Curtis Boehmer, GLR Commander, observed classes and personally engaged with students. He was impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment of participants:

“Over the past weekend’s NCO Academy, I was profoundly struck by the overwhelming enthusiasm and genuine hunger for professional development displayed by our NCOs. One senior NCO summed it up best when he declared, ‘Sir, I’d show up to this course even if I were in a full body cast.’ That level of commitment speaks volumes about the quality and relevance of this training and reinforces why investing in targeted, high-impact NCO development remains one of our most critical priorities.”

Voices from the Field: NCOs Speak

SMSgt Stephen Sims, Texas Wing SEL:

“The Great Lakes Region set the golden standard. Our instructors were seasoned, respected SNCOs who shared real-world experience. I left better equipped to strengthen the NCO Corps across Texas Wing.”

SMSgt Luke Bunge, Michigan Wing NCO Advisor:

“Hearing the challenges faced by NCOs from across the country helped refine how I support my commanders. The professional network we built here is priceless.”

Other participants commented that the Academy provided:

• Tools to immediately enhance their leadership impact
• Practical approaches to advising commanders
• A renewed sense of CAP identity and purpose
• Connections with peers they will rely on throughout their careers

Looking Ahead: Class 2 and INCO

Due to its success, Class 2 of the NCO PEA is scheduled for 10–13 September 2026 at Fort Knox. The GLR remains committed to the in-residence model, emphasizing the value of face-to-face engagement, collaboration, and mentoring.

Additionally, in March 2026, GLR will launch the Initial NCO Course (INCO) designed to prepare new CAP NCOs for the NCOOC and subsequent courses. The INCO will:

• Establish baseline expectations
• Reinforce the enlisted identity within CAP
• Introduce advising principles
• Build cohesion across the NCO corps from the start

This completes a fully structured, multi-tiered professional development pathway for CAP’s NCOs.

A Milestone for CAP’s Enlisted Corps

The inaugural Great Lakes Region NCO Professional Education Academy represents a pivotal moment in CAP history. With national participation, expert instructors, and strong leadership endorsement, the Academy establishes a scalable, impactful, and enduring model for professional development.

More than a weekend of instruction, it is a strategic investment in CAP’s most critical asset—its people. As NCOs return to their units equipped with enhanced skills, mentorship capacity, and renewed confidence, the message is clear:

The backbone of Civil Air Patrol is stronger than ever—built one NCO at a time.