Ore. Wing's Longley Named to Board of Governors

 Col. John R. Longley Jr., Oregon Wing commander from October 2012-September 2016, will serve on Civil Air Patrol’s Board of Governors.

The 11-member BoG is CAP’s top governing body. It consists of four U.S. Air Force appointees, three members appointed jointly by the secretary of the Air Force and CAP's national commander, and four members-at-large selected by the CAP Senior Advisory Group.

Longley was chosen for the BoG by the Senior Advisory Group this past weekend. He will replace Col. Brad Lynn as an at-large member of the board when Lynn’s term ends early next year.

“I look forward to Col. Longley’s service on the board,” said Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, national commander and CEO. “I have every confidence that he will be a valuable and effective member of the BoG.”

Longley’s three-year term begins March 1.

Longley is a 23-year member of CAP. Before serving as wing commander, he was the wing’s chief of staff (2011-2012) and the Pacific Region’s inspector general (2011-2012). Before that, he was vice commander of the California Wing (2007-2010); commander of Central California Group 6 (2005-2007) and commander of the wing’s Sequoia Porterville Squadron 33 (2002-2005).

Longley commanded the Pacific Region on an interim basis for about six weeks (October-December 2016). Since then, he has served as a member of Membership Action Review Panel, beginning in 2018, and as an assistant instructor for Volunteer University, teaching virtual Level 5 and Incident Commander 3. As a member of the Oregon Wing’s Klamath Falls Flight, assigned to professional development, he also works on Felix Keynote intercepts for the wing.

He has earned Master ratings for Command, Emergency Services and Cadet Programs and received the Distinguished Service Award in 2012 for his service as wing commander. He received the Gill Robb Wilson Award for achieving CAP professional development Level 5 in 2009 and was named California Wing and Pacific Region Senior Member of the Year in 2010.

Longley served two tours beginning in 2011 and 2016 as a member of the national CAP Promotion and Awards Board.

He is also a pilot and owner of a Piper Warrior with about 1,100 hours of flying time. In addition to his pilot certificate, he also has a commercial unmanned air system permit.

“I am profoundly honored to have the opportunity to serve on the BoG and to participate in the development of Civil Air Patrol policy and to evaluate its implementation as a member of the board,” Longley said.

"Civil Air Patrol has been a big part of my family's life for a couple of decades,” he added. “The service opportunities in our community and to our nation have motivated and rewarded us profoundly. The values CAP espouses and more importantly lives every day have been solid foundations providing guidance and direction. 

“Having worked with cadets for many years and in emergency services and always learning through aerospace education, the missions are always beneficially contributory to our community and nation.”

Longley served in the Air Force from November 1969-May 1973, rising to the rank of staff sergeant and serving in various leadership, management and supervisory positions. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal while in Vietnam with the Military Assistance Command.

He retired after a 32-year career as a city manager in the California municipalities of Porterville, Marina and Avalon, then worked six years as Porterville Municipal Airport area manager in California and as director of Crater Lake-Klamath Regional Airport in Oregon,

Longley is an Oregon principal real estate broker, recently launching TJ Longley Realty LEA. He is a member of the Klamath County Real Estate Board and chairs its Governmental Affairs Committee.