From its creation on 1 December 1941 until 31 August 1975, the National Commander of CAP was an appointed active duty commissioned officer — typically a general officer — of the United States Army Air Forces (until September 1947) or the United States Air Force (after it became an independent service in September 1947). This National Commander was usually the sitting Civil Air Patrol-United States Air Force Commander.^[3]

Upon adoption of the CAP Constitution and Bylaws on 26 May 1948, the CAP was incorporated and officially became the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and the CAP National Board was redesignated as the National Executive Board (NEB).

CAP Colonel George Andress Stone was the sitting CAP National Board Chairman, therefore became the Chairman of the NEB. Colonel Stone died in an aircraft accident while returning home from a NEB meeting in August 1948.^[3] Retired U.S. Air Force General Carl A. Spaatz assumed the position of Chairman about a week after Colonel Stone's death, and is widely regarded as the first Chairman.^[4] The board became the National Executive Committee (NEC) on 26 April 1960, with the position of Chairman continuing to serve as the head of CAP. The Chairman continued to answer to the National Commander, who was still the CAP-USAF Commander.^[3]

On 1 September 1975, the position of Chairman of the National Board was redesignated as National Commander, held by an active civilian CAP member with the CAP rank of brigadier general,^[5] with only sitting and former national commanders who served in the position on or after 1 September 1975 holding the CAP rank of brigadier general.^[5] The former U.S. Air Force-appointed National Commander position was redesignated as the Executive Director of the CAP. On 8 March 1995, during a reorganization of CAP National Headquarters, the title of Executive Director was changed to Senior Air Force Advisor.^[3]

On 1 December 2002, the National Commander position was elevated to the rank of major general, with the national vice commander becoming a brigadier general.^[5] Current and former national commanders who held the position after 1 December 2002 are the only CAP members who hold the CAP rank of major general.^[5] Former National Commanders who held the position prior to 1 December 2002 and sitting National Vice Commanders and those who held the position of National Vice Commander on or after 1 December 2002 are the only CAP members who hold the CAP rank of brigadier general.^[5]

Since 2012, the National Commander of the CAP also has served as the chief executive officer of the CAP Corporation.^[a]

The current National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol is Major General Edward Phelka.^[6]

Civil Air Patrol-United States Air Force (CAP-USAF) is the U.S. Air Force command responsible for ensuring the CAP is organized, trained, and equipped to fulfill Air Force-assigned missions.^[2] Operating alongside the CAP's civilian leadership, CAP-USAF provides day-to-day support, advice, and liaison to the CAP’s more than 60,000 members and provides oversight for CAP programs, with emphasis on safety and program requirements.^[2] CAP-USAF personnel are also the primary function interface between other federal agencies and the CAP.^[2]

CAP-USAF was established on 28 August 1948^[7] under the U.S. Air Force Headquarters. CAP-USAF was transferred to Continental Air Command on 1 January 1959. Following Continental Air Command's inactivation in 1968, CAP-USAF was realigned back to U.S. Air Force Headquarters. On 1 July 1976, CAP-USAF was realigned under Air University. It would become aligned under Air University's Jeanne M. Holm Officer Accession and Citizen Development Center on 11 June 2009. On 16 June 2016, it would be realigned to the First Air Force under Air Combat Command, as part of an effort to better integrate CAP as a Total Force Member.^[8]

As of 2020, CAP-USAF was staffed with approximately 200 active-duty, United States Air Force Reserve, and civilian personnel at CAP National Headquarters at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base with locations in: New Jersey (Detachment 1, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst)^{[citation needed]}, Maryland (Detachment 2, Joint Base Andrews)^{[citation needed]}, Ohio (Detachment 3, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base)^{[citation needed]}, Georgia (Detachment 4, Dobbins Air Reserve Base)^{[citation needed]}, Minnesota (Detachment 5)^{[citation needed]}, Texas (Detachment 6)^{[citation needed]}, Colorado (Detachment 7, Peterson Space Force Base)^{[citation needed]}, California (Detachment 8, Beale Air Force Base)^{[citation needed]}, and Florida^{[citation needed]}.

CAP-USAF currently runs a program known as the Civil Air Patrol Reserve Assistance Program (CAPRAP). This program is for Category E Reservists, those who participate for reserve "points" towards retirement but without pay, to act as a liaison between the Air Force and local CAP units. Individual Mobilization Augmentees and Traditional Reservists (two other reserve categories) are also eligible to participate in the program as a way to earn additional "points".^[9]

U.S. Army Air Forces and U.S. Air Force National Commanders of the CAP prior to its 1948 incorporation are considered part of the lineage of the command history of CAP-USAF.^[3]

• Maj Gen John F. Curry, USAAF; Dec 1941 – Mar 1942
• Brig Gen Earle L. Johnson, USAAF; 10 March 1942 – 16 February 1947
• Brig Gen Frederic H. Smith Jr., USAAF; 16 February 1947 – 30 September 1947
• Maj Gen Lucas V. Beau, USAF; 1 October 1947 – 31 December 1955
• Maj Gen Walter R. Agee, USAF; 1 January 1956 – 31 March 1959
• Brig Gen Stephen D. McElroy, USAF; 1 April 1959 – 15 December 1961
• Col Paul C. Ashworth, USAF; 15 December 1961 – 31 July 1964
• Col Joe L. Mason, USAF; 1 August 1964 – 30 April 1967
• Brig Gen William W. Wilcox, USAF; 1 May 1967 – 31 October 1968
• Maj Gen Walter B. Putnam, USAF; 1 November 1968 – 31 October 1969
• Brig Gen Richard N. Ellis, USAF; 1 November 1969 – 31 October 1972
• Brig Gen Leslie J. Westberg, USAF; 1 November 1972 – 28 August 1975
• Brig Gen Carl S. Miller, USAF; 29 August 1975 – 31 October 1977
• Brig Gen Paul E. Gardner, USAF; 1 November 1977 – 31 July 1980
• Brig Gen Horace W. Miller, USAF; 1 August 1980 – 1 September 1981
• Brig Gen David L. Patton, USAF; 1 September 1981 – 31 May 1984
• Col John T. Massingale Jr., USAF; 1 June 1984 – October 1989
• Col Clyde O. Westbrook Jr., USAF; November 1989 – June 1990
• Col Joseph M. Nall, USAF; June 1990 – August 1992
• Col Ronald T. Sampson, USAF; August 1992 – 8 March 1995
• Col Garland W. Padgett Jr., USAF; 8 March 1995 – 4 May 1998
• Col Dennis B. Parkhurst, USAF; 4 May 1998 – 16 July 2001
• Col Albert A. Allenback, USAF; 16 July 2001 – 12 July 2002
• Col George C. Vogt, USAF; July 2002 – October 2005^{[citation needed]}
• Col Russell D. Hodgkins Jr., USAF; October 2005 – April 2009^{[citation needed]}
• Col William R. (Bill) Ward, USAF; April 2009 – 31 June 2011^{[citation needed]}
• Col George H. Ross III, USAF; 1 July 2011 – 4 October 2011^{[citation needed]}
• Col Paul D. Gloyd II, USAF; 4 October 2011 – May 2014^{[citation needed]}
• Col Jay Updegraff, USAF; May 2014^{[citation needed]} – August 2014
• Col Michael D. Tyynismaa, USAF; August 2014 – 17 April 2019
• Col Mark A. Wootan, USAF; 17 April 2019^[35] – 13 April 2022
• Col Tyler P. Frander, USAF; 13 April 2022^[36] - August 2023
• Col Aaron D. Reid, USAF; Aug 2023^[37] - Present