Wing Commander
About the Commander
Col. Kevin McClure assumed command of the Alaska Wing Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force Auxiliary, in August 2019. He is responsible for the Command and Administration of approximately 500 Senior members, 260 Cadets, 17 Squadrons, aircraft, vehicles and communication equipment to support Military, state and local missions statewide.
Col. McClure came to Alaska and CAP via his 20-year US Air Force (USAF) career. Col. McClure enlisted in the Air Force in 1971 after receiving a low lottery number from the Selective Service during the Vietnam Campaign. His USAF career took him away from his home in Vermont to several east coast states and twice to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. While at Clark, he was tasked with providing direct support to the mission of US forces in Vietnam and in 1973 he helped welcome the POW’s home. In October 1991 he retired from the Air Force, electing to stay in Alaska and obtaining employment with US Fish and Wildlife where he retired a second time, in December 2012.
His US Air Force career had brought him to Alaska in May of 1980 and Alaska Wing CAP in August 1990 after losing a close friend on a hunting trip on Naked Island, AK. He has held several positions at Wing level and Squadron Level:
Alaska Wing
Director of Emergency Services, Aug 1990 -July 1992
Wing Recruiting Officer, Sept 1991 to July 1992
Wing Safety Officer, Feb 2006 to May 2006
Wing Chief of Staff, April 2016 to Feb 2018 & Dec 2018 to Aug 2019
Wing Vice Commander, Feb 2018 to Dec 2018
Wing Commander, August 2019 - Present
Polaris Composite Squadron
Deputy Squadron Commander, April 1993 to Nov 2000
Squadron Commander, Sept 2002 to 2005 and May 2006 to Dec 2009
Col. McClure’s CAP decorations include several Commanders Commendations and a Lifesaving award from the Rescue Coordination Center (Oct 2000) for completing over 300 missions.
Col. McClure obtained his Private Pilot Single Engine Land License in 1994. In July 2010 Kevin took a short break from CAP to finish his goal of visiting all 50 states, April 2016 found him returning to Wing Headquarters as Chief of Staff after several member phone calls. Col. McClure and his wife, Jenny, visited the last of the 50 states in July and celebrated their 50th anniversary at the end of July 2019. They have three grown daughters, 9 grandchildren and 1 great grandson.
