Once a Cadet:
Lt. Col. John Desmarais, National Director of Operations
By Russell Slater
Lt. Col. John Desmarais is one of a handful of former CAP cadets who now find themselves enjoying their work as longtime staff members at CAP National Headquarters at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. The current Director of Operations joined CAP as a cadet in December, 1987.
“From that point on, he knew what he wanted to do in his career,” said Col. Jean Desmarais, John’s father, who volunteers at CAP National Headquarters along with John’s mother, 1st Lt. Ruth Desmarais. “He wanted to work for CAP.”
We Worked Together
As a cadet, Desmarais achieved the rank of Cadet Lt. Col. in the early 1990’s, also earning the Gen. Ira C. Eaker Award.
“I think the things that really changed me were my leader, mentors, and friends in CAP,” said Desmarais. “I had many adults that spent incredible amounts of time with me to provide me the education and training needed to be a cadet NCO, then a cadet officer, and then an adult member. They made sure that I set the right example for those coming forward, and wanted to do what was right. We worked together.
In fact, the motto for the squadron I first joined as a cadet, the 102nd Composite Squadron, Rhode Island Wing, was ‘We Are a Team.’ That was true in so many ways. The cadets and adults alike always made a point of working together to get the job done, and supporting one another.”
During this time, CAP was overseen by Air Force employees at National Headquarters; there were virtually no civilian job openings at that time, but Desmarais was not discouraged by the situation, and never gave up on his goal of making CAP operations his full time occupation.
Things changed later on when the transition was made from complete Air Force oversight to a joint USAF-CAP partnership; this occurred during Desmarais’ senior year at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He graduated in 1995 with a Bachelors degree in Aviation Business Administration, focused in Management Information Systems, with a minor in Safety of Flight, and also earned a Masters degree in Aeronautical Science in 2000, specializing in Aviation/Aerospace Safety Systems. Upon graduation in 1995, Desmarais began his career in Cadet Programs, and then transitioned to working in the Operations Directorate under Col. Glenn Atwell two years later when the opportunity presented itself.
“CAP and the cadet program really helped make me the man that I am today, in many different ways,” Desmarais said. “As I was growing up, my dad was very much involved in the local fire department as a volunteer. By the time I joined CAP, he was the local volunteer rescue captain. I spent a lot of time at the fire department as a child, and was a volunteer fireman and first responder with that department for a short time myself. CAP offered me a lot of opportunities to build off that and make a career out of something I loved.”
His Dream
While still a cadet, Desmarais started the Ground Search and Rescue School in Rhode Island in 1991, an educational training opportunity for other cadets that was based on the original New Jersey Ground Search and Rescue program.
“His dream was to expand this program,” recalls Desmarais’ father. “He wanted to ensure other members would have the opportunity to train and qualify to serve on ground teams, and every other facet of CAP mission operations in a safe training setting using uniform, consistent training materials establishing basic training standards that would be recognized nationally.”
With a cadre of like-minded CAP members, training standards were developed and approved. The first ever National Ground Search and Rescue School was established at the Miller School in Charlottesville, Virginia during the summer of 1996. In 1998, the school was moved to its current larger, more suitable location at Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh, Indiana. It was expanded to include a Mission Aircrew School and Incident Command System School, and renamed the National Emergency Services Academy, or NESA.
“NESA provides a place where personnel can now complete training in virtually every emergency services specialty qualification use in CAP,” said Col. Jean Desmarais. “All these programs have continued to evolve and produce, test, and expand the use of consistent training material across the organization.”
Lt. Col. Desmarais still serves as Project Officer and Provost, in addition to being President of the NESA Alumni Association. Along with a dedicated training staff who return every year at to provide support to this program, Desmarais and his National Headquarters Operations Staff provides the support to NESA and all the programs under the Operations umbrella. This program is a cadet and senior member activity that provides mission training and qualifications at a nominal cost.
NESA serves as one example of the various programs Desmarais has been involved with over the course of his extensive CAP career. As the Director of Operations at National Headquarters, Desmarais is tasked with many duties including serving as a point of contact for all emergency services, counterdrug, and Homeland Security matters to the national leadership.
Additionally, he interfaces with local, state, and federal personnel on operations issues while also assisting CAP leaders in formulating policies, program goals, and objectives with the air force and other counterparts nationally. He also supervises programs managers for communications, the National Operation Center, National Technology Center, standardization and evaluation, and Chaplain services.
Heart and Soul
Col. Desmarais said of his son’s ongoing efforts, “I know John puts his heart and soul into all of his work because he believes in CAP. He wants it to be successful. He does a lot himself, but he knows that all the lives he touches through his work have done so much more, and he has a great team supporting him. He has worked his way up, and has had many great mentors, peers, and subordinates on his team that have helped challenge him, and make him the man he is today, continuing to grow and be a leader for CAP.”
Prior to Desmarais’ current assignment, he also served as Chief of Operations Support, Chief of Emergency Services, Emergency Services Plan Officer, and Special Activities Program Manager. He continues to be an active volunteer, and has served in a variety of positions within the Rhode Island, Florida, and Alabama Wings as well as the Southeast Region as a whole.
In addition to a multitude of awards and commendations from commanders, Desmarais was also notably named the National Headquarters Employee of the Year in 2002, and he later received the President’s Call to Service Award in 2008.
“John’s Mom and I are extremely proud of his accomplishments,” Col. Desmarais said. “We both joined the organization because of him. We are continually amazed at his progress in CAP. He has managed to find a career that he loves and it all started with his membership as a cadet almost 30 years ago. John is a good man, a good husband, and father, and CAP has been and continues to be a good part of his solid foundation.”
“The cadet program offered me opportunities that really changed my life,” Desmarais said. “I consider myself blessed to be working for this great organization, making an impact every day, and giving back to the organization that has given me so much.
*Originally published in CAP Volunteer Magazine
