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Col Joe Abegg is the Civil Air Patrol’s (CAP) Northeast Region (NER) Chief of Staff.

As region chief of staff, Abegg leads the NER staff supporting more than 8,500 CAP volunteers and managing 79 aircraft in nine states — CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, and VT. He also serves as the National Vice President of the Board for the Spaatz Association, and he is a two-time National Activity Director of the annual Spaatz Awards Gala in Washington DC.

He has been an active member of CAP for over 53 years, and he was the longest serving CAP National Director of Emergency Services leading 26 innovative national projects, and leading or serving on numerous National Committees.  He is the first-ever winner of the National Ed Lewis Incident Staff Member of the Year.  He has served twice as the NER Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, as the NER Director of Operations, and as the NER Director of Plans & Programs.  In 1986 he led the NER Search & Rescue team that won the CAP National Search & Rescue Competition.  He has previously served as the New Jersey Wing Commander, as Group Commander, three times as a Squadron Commander, two times as a Cadet Commander, and innumerable staff positions at the Squadron, Group, Wing, and Region level.  As a CAP Cadet he earned Ranger Expert at the Illinois Wing Ranger School, and he is a graduate of the National Blue Beret (original school). 

He has earned United Airlines Captain Wings, Air Force Command Pilot Wings, CAP Command Pilot Wings, CAP Master Observer Wings, the CAP Master Incident Command Badge, and the FAA Master Pilot Award.  He has earned eight CAP Specialty Track Master Ratings and a Senior Rating in Safety.

Abegg’s decorations include the Distinguished Service Award, four Exceptional Service Awards, nine Meritorious Service Awards, 13 Commanders Commendations, the CAP Spaatz Award, the CAP Falcon Award, the CAP Wilson Award, three DoD Meritorious Service Medals, the AF Commendation Medal, and the AF Achievement Medal.  He has also served on staff at 25 CAP Region Staff Colleges.

Abegg received a three year U.S.A.F. scholarship graduating and receiving his commission as a second lieutenant in July 1980, and later retired as a Lt Col having operated classified missions to five continents. He is additionally a Life Member of the Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) and has served as a State President and as a State Executive Vice President. He has been awarded the AFA Medal of Merit and twice awarded the AFA Exceptional Service Award. He is additionally a Life Member of the American Legion, the Reserves of America, the Order of Daedalians, the Kentucky Colonels, and he is a 50-year member of the CAP.

He is a graduate of Air War College, Air Command & Staff College, the USAF Inland SAR School, the CAP National Incident Crisis Coordination School, and the Senior Inspector General school.

Abegg holds a master’s degree in management and a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering.  He is a retired United Airlines Captain, has flown to six continents, and has logged 30,635 flying hours.  He has flown innumerable general aviation aircraft in addition to the T-37, T-38, C-141A/B, DC-10, A-319/A-320, DC-10 and Boeing 727, 747, 757 and 767 aircraft.     Current as of 1 Aug 2026