New Chief of Chaplains Named

Chaplain (Col.) John Murdoch is Civil Air Patrol’s new chief of chaplains, replacing Chaplain (Col.) Charlie Sattgast, who stepped down from the position for personal reasons after serving since September 2017.

As chief of chaplains, Murdoch returns to the post he filled from 1996-1998 after serving as deputy chief from 1993-1996. More recently, he served as deputy chief since March 2014 and as Indiana Wing chaplain from March 2011-September 2017.

Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, national commander, who made the appointment, said Murdoch “is exceptionally qualified in many regards,” noting his previous tenure as chief of chaplains.

“He is the right choice to step into this out-of-cycle position, take Chaplain Sattgast’s initiatives to fruition and prepare the next generations of CAP chaplains for senior leadership positions,” Smith said.

The national commander also cited Sattgast’s “exceptional performance” in the role.