,
15
January
2020
|
14:06 PM
America/Chicago

Ariz. Wing Gains New Commander

Capt. Margot Myers
Public Affairs Officer
Arizona Wing

Col. Robert C. Pinckard is the new commander of the Arizona Wing, succeeding Col. Martha Morris in a ceremony at the Scottsdale Airport Aviation Business Center.

Col. Joe Smith, Southwest Region commander, presided over the traditional military change of command ceremony before about 200 Arizona Wing members, their families and invited guests attended.

“It’s a great honor for me to have been chosen to lead the Arizona Wing,” Pinckard said. “I’m following in the footsteps of some exceptional wing commanders.”

“This is a great team of top performers,” he told the assembly. “I look forward to working with you to achieve continued success.”

Pinckard joined the wing’s Willie Composite Squadron in 2001 and served as officer for finance and for cadet programs officer. In 2007 he assumed command of the squadron. He was subsequently promoted to group and sector commander positions before becoming the wing chief of staff in January 2016 and vice commander in July 2018.

He is an active incident commander, ground branch director and ground team leader, with a master rating in emergency services, and has three additional master ratings, one senior rating and five technician ratings in a wide variety of CAP specialty tracks.

During his CAP career Pinckard has been credited with more than 100 finds and three saves during Arizona Wing missions. He has also assisted with the rescue and recovery of victims of multiple air crashes and of missing individuals.

Pinckard has organized, conducted and taught at numerous ground and combined air/ground search and rescue and wilderness survival courses throughout the wing. He has trained and qualified numerous CAP ground team search and rescue and wilderness first aid members as well as many representatives of Arizona county sheriffs’ search and rescue teams who have participated in Arizona Wing ground team training.

He also has instructed at several Unit Commander Courses, Squadron Leadership Schools and Corporate Leadership Courses as well as at Regional Staff College.

Away from CAP, Pinckard is a founder, owner and CEO of Allen & Pinckard Industrial Contractors Inc. He and his wife, Pat, reside in San Tan Valley, where they breed and train prize-winning Appaloosas.