Wing Commander
Biography - Colonel Brendan Kearns, CAP
Colonel Brendan Kearns assumed the position of Commander, North Carolina Wing of Civil Air Patrol on 17 January 2026.
Col. Kearns joined Civil Air Patrol in 2010, and his CAP career exemplified a continuous and progressive increase in responsibilities and command with leadership roles at multiple levels of the organization. His command experience includes squadron command of Apex Cadet Squadron (MAR-NC-301), group commander MAR-NC-002, as well as a Deputy Wing Commander for the three previous North Carolina Wing Commanders.
Col. Kearns has an extensive list of experience that includes Liaison Officer to FEMA’s National Response Coordination Center, Deputy Liaison Officer to FEMA Region 4, Director of the Mid-Atlantic Search and Rescue College and Deputy Director for the Aeronautics and Aerospace Business Academy NCSA. He also served as encampment commander five times and has participated in every encampment since 2012.
Staff positions held by Col. Kearns consist of Wing Liaison Officer to North Carolina Emergency Management, Assistant Wing Director roles in Safety, Operations and Personnel. He also was previously the Wing Director of Finance. Col. Kearns also served as the Director of the Ranger Program in North Carolina from 2017-2025. Col. Kearns is highly involved with the strategic partners of North Carolina Wing and was instrumental in the development of the strategic alliance with MCAS Cherry Point.
Col. Kearns has been an initiative-taking and energetic leader in all aspects of the response to the operational and emergency services missions supporting North Carolina Wing and Mid-Atlantic Region responses to multiple natural disasters, search and rescues and other Homeland Security Missions. Col. Kearns holds multiple mission qualifications including Incident Commander – Level 1, Ground Team Leader, Liaison Officer, and Mission Observer. Col. Kearns is also a Volunteer University Instructor Levels 1–5.
He is a graduate of both the National Inland Search and Rescue Planning Course and the Basic Inland Search and Rescue Course. Additionally, he is a graduate of the National Safety College in 2022 and the National Staff College in 2016.
Col. Kearns holds a total of 10 CAP Master ratings in Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, Emergency Services, Operations, Logistics, Finance, Personnel, Safety, Administration and Finance.
His professional career has extended over 35 years involving experience in treasury, corporate finance, M&A, and investment banking. He is a certified cash manager and certified treasury professional.
Col. Kearns has received several Civil Air Patrol awards including the Exceptional Service Award (8), Meritorious Service Award (3), Wing Commendations (20), Achievement Award (4) as well as the Disaster Relief Ribbon with "V" Device. In addition, Col. Kearns was the North Carolina Wing Senior Member of the Year 2023, Incident Command Team Member of the Year, and Mid-Atlantic Region Incident Command Team Member of the Year twice and was also both Mid-Atlantic Region and Civil Air Patrol’s Wing Director of Finance of the Year in 2015.
He earned his BS from the State University of New York Brockport and his MBA from Campbell University.
