S.W. Region's Ready Named to Board of Governors

Col. Brian Ready

The vice commander of Civil Air Patrol’s Southwest Region, probably better known in CAP for his service at the national level, has been selected to serve on the organization’s Board of Governors.

Col. Brian Ready, 61, of Phoenix was chosen June 25 by the CAP Senior Advisory Group to succeed Col. Dale Newell as an at-large member of the board. Ready’s term begins Aug. 28.

The Board of Governors 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 (CSAG). CAP’s national commander, national vice commander, executive officer and eight region commanders serve as voting members on the CSAG.

In announcing Ready’s appointment, Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, national commander and CEO, said, “Col. Ready has a strong and broad grasp of Civil Air Patrol given his key national level role on our Information Technology Steering Committee, his current role as Southwest Region’s vice commander and his highly successful tenure as the Arizona Wing commander.”

Ready has been region vice commander since January 2016, following four years as wing commander. In May 2016 he became chair of National Headquarters’ Technical Advisory Group, and he is also a member of the IT Steering Committee.

The committee was established to assist IT with the delivery of value-added services through definition of priorities and allocation of resources, which are in alignment with CAP’s organizational objectives.

Over the last five years, he has met biweekly with the senior National Headquarters staff to discuss IT projects and issues in their areas of responsibility. “The knowledge gained from our discussions and project review has provided me with one of the most diverse and unique views of the inner workings of CAP,” Ready said.

He received CAP’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018 for his work with the IT Steering Committee. He was recognized for helping prioritize proposed IT projects as well as his leadership on the CAP website consolidation project, contributing to the design, functionality and testing of GoCivilAirPatrol.com. 

Ready is also an original member of CAP’s National Cell Phone Forensics Team. As a team member, he received the 1st Air Force (AFNORTH) Commander’s Award, citing the team for its technological excellence and innovation, which helped support 126 search and rescue missions in 2014, resulting in 76 lives saved and 66 additional finds. Since its inception, the team has completed over 1,500 missions, helping find over 700 people and saving 486 lives.

Ready received a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering technology from Arizona State University in 1982. He joined CAP soon after, serving at the squadron and wing levels in California and Arizona in flight operations and flight safety. He is a qualified check pilot with nearly 17,000 flying hours.

Over the past 38 years, he has worked his way through the ranks, filling positions at all levels of CAP, including his current assignments at the region and national levels. In recent years, he has extended his service in the areas of aerospace education and cadet programs as well as command. He is also a qualified CAP incident commander.

Outside CAP, Ready is a standards captain with XOJET Aviation and, while not flying, the chief operating officer for Specialty Roofing, a residential and commercial contractor in the Phoenix area. He has also held management positions as flight department manager, chief pilot and check airman for over 21 years.

He was one of the founding members of the Arizona Business Aviation Association and served as its vice president for two years and one year as president.

His latest leadership role will be as a member of CAP’s top governing body. The Board of Governors generates strategic policies, plans and programs designed to guide and support the volunteer service of the organization’s eight regions and 52 wings.

“All I have ever wanted to do in CAP is give back to our members and make a difference,” Ready said. “There is no greater calling than to be part of the team that develops the vision and future for the organization you serve. In CAP, the Board of Governors is that team.”

Ready said CAP’s volunteers are “the best in the country.”

“I am grateful for this opportunity to support them,” he added. “They are the best group of volunteers I have ever had the honor to be associated with. … I’m also thankful to be able to help the youth of today who will be our leaders of tomorrow.”