Wing Commander
Colonel Robert A. Hotchkiss Jr., CAP
Wing Commander, Delaware Wing
Colonel Robert A. Hotchkiss Jr. is the Wing Commander of the Delaware Wing Civil Air Patrol.
Prior to assuming his current position, Colonel Hotchkiss was the Wing Vice Commander and Government Relations Advisor. He is the former Commander of the Delaware Air National Guard Cadet Squadron (DANG) where he commanded one of the largest squadrons in the nation with over 125 members, earning his squadron a Unit Citation.
Colonel Hotchkiss joined CAP as a cadet in 1975 and earned the Ira Eaker Award in 1979. He was selected as the 1978 Delaware Wing Cadet of the Year. He attended the Cadet Officers School, International Air Cadet Exchange (Sweden), and was the Delaware Wing Encampment Cadet Commander in 1979. He briefly transitioned to a senior member serving as a Warrant Officer before a separation of service from 1983 to 2009. In 2009, Lt Col Hotchkiss rejoined CAP at the DANG Cadet Squadron where he assumed command of the squadron 6 months after rejoining.
Colonel Hotchkiss is a graduate of National Staff College, Northeast Region Staff College, Inland SAR Planning Course, and the Basic Inland SAR Course,
He has operational qualifications as an Incident Commander, Ground Team Leader, Mission Observer and Public Information Officer. Colonel Hotchkiss holds Master ratings in Command, Health Services, and Cadet Programs and a Technician rating in Emergency Services, Safety, Public Affairs and Aerospace Education.
Colonel Hotchkiss has been awarded the Exceptional Service Award (two), Meritorious Services Award, Commander’s Commendation Award (two), CAP Achievement Award, and Gill Robb Wilson Award, among others. He was also selected as 2014 Delaware Wing Senior Member of the Year and MidAtlantic Region Government Relations Advisor of the Year in 2017.
Colonel Hotchkiss earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Delaware. He is the Chief Executive Officer for Southern Chester County EMS and is a Pennsylvania and Nationally licensed paramedic. He is the second of three generations of his family that has served in the Delaware Wing Civil Air Patrol.
