When disaster strikes—a hurricane, fire or flood—John Desmarais (’95, ’00) and the national headquarters team are ready to mobilize thousands of volunteers to respond within hours. A call can come from a community, state or federal agency, or the military. The mission might involve humanitarian aid after a natural disaster, homeland security, or search and rescue. The response often requires coordination with the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Federal Aviation Administration.
John Desmarais leads the national staff team that answers those calls, supporting more than 69,000 volunteers and deploying the world’s largest fleet of Cessnas and small uncrewed aerial systems. As chief operating officer of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), Desmarais ensures the safety of an organization that operates like a commercial airline while managing emergency responder operations and serving as the United States Air Force Auxiliary. His role requires balancing long-planned activities with urgent calls from customers, both internal and external.
His career may not be the most financially lucrative, but it is immensely satisfying. His nearly 30 years with CAP as an employee and 37 years as a member have yielded moments that reaffirm his commitment. He recalls a young cadet who struggled with a night navigation course due to a fear of the dark. That cadet, after mastering his training, became a ground team leader.
“Five years later, his dad called to tell me that the cadet had saved three children in the middle of the night during a snowstorm,” Desmarais says.
Years later, Desmarais received another call from that same member, now in the U.S. Air Force, thanking him for the land navigation skills that saved his life during GPS outages in Iraq.
“That kind of thing keeps you going for a long time,” Desmarais reflects. “It makes the long hours and personal sacrifices worth it.”
A Lifelong CAP Leader
Volunteers lead CAP missions. Many join after witnessing the needs of their own communities and appreciate the opportunity to serve, often staying involved for decades. Check pilot examiners, for example, average 22 years of service.
Desmarais’ path to CAP was a winding one. Growing up in Rhode Island, he was initially looking to pursue oceanography when he started high school. His biology lab partner first exposed him to Civil Air Patrol. His first CAP orientation flight during his freshman year of high school—his first time ever flying—ultimately hooked him on aviation. He explored aviation schools, visiting Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Florida Institute of Technology and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Embry-Riddle offered the immersive aviation environment he craved.
“I don’t remember a day on campus when I didn’t see somebody wearing a CAP T-shirt,” Desmarais says. “I ended up knowing quite a few cadets and the deputy commander for cadets, and I just leaned into it.”
He initially pursued aerospace engineering but shifted to aviation business with a minor in flight safety after chemistry derailed his engineering ambitions.
“Five of the six of us in my dorm suite started in aerospace engineering. None of us finished,” he says. “I liked physics and math, but chemistry killed me.”
After graduating, Desmarais joined the CAP national headquarters staff, quickly moving into operations. His nickname, “Moose,” stuck after he earned his pilot’s license, and even his flight instructor at Maxwell Air Force Base had Embry-Riddle connections. Desmarais later completed his master’s degree in aeronautical science through Embry-Riddle Worldwide.
Disaster Is Part of the Job
CAP typically responds to 60 to 75 disasters annually, and the prolonged pandemic depleted resources across the country. Desmarais led CAP’s efforts as a crucial backup for emergency management teams. The International Association of Emergency Managers recognized Desmarais as Emergency Manager of the Year in 2021 for his leadership in providing support to earthquake, hurricane and wildfire victims during the pandemic.
CAP executed 130 COVID-19 missions in 30 states, transporting vaccines, blood, test kits and meals to quarantined individuals. Operation Pulse Lift established temporary blood donor centers, and CAP’s partnership with the American Red Cross and Armed Services Blood Program ensured blood deliveries nationwide, which still continues today as there is always a need for blood. As of Oct. 1, CAP has supported 575 blood-donor-center events at 64 sites in 26 states, conducted 1,877 lifesaving transports, and is estimated to have saved over 123,000 lives with the blood collected through Operation Pulse Lift.
“I’m proud to say we didn’t turn down any missions during COVID. We worked hard and had great advisors,” Desmarais says. “CAP members come from all walks of life. We have over 1,000 health service officers across the country supporting our programs that made us successful during the pandemic, but our personnel have many backgrounds, from accountants and lawyers to engineers and mechanics—and of course lots of pilots and crewmembers.”
Embracing Technology
Though Desmarais doesn’t fly as often as he’d like, he has led key aviation assignments that have reshaped CAP’s capabilities. In the early 2000s, CAP invested in a hyperspectral imaging system for search and rescue missions. The system, attached to Australian Gippsland GA8 aircraft, was crucial for identifying crashed planes through dense tree canopies. CAP also played a pivotal role in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response, using technology to identify oil slicks invisible to the naked eye.
“We support a variety of exercises for the Air Force and Department of Defense,” Desmarais explains. “We’ve installed equipment on airplanes to help the Air Force and other military partners train to meet their warfighter requirements. In my prior position as Director of Operations, we expanded these programs, ensuring that CAP remains at the forefront of technology-driven disaster response.”
Adapting Missions for Modern Times
Search and rescue remains a priority for CAP, which saves more than 80 lives a year. However, the organization’s missions are evolving. Advances in radar and cell phone forensics have shifted more of the work away from physical rescues.
“We save more lives now with radar and cell phone forensics than we do with boots on the ground and planes in the air,” Desmarais notes.
Additionally, CAP’s fleet of over 2,600 small uncrewed aerial systems has become integral to collecting post-disaster imagery and supporting search and rescue operations. CAP’s ground operations are also growing, thanks to a $35 million communication system that provides command and control capabilities for all of CAP’s missions, especially disasters.
“The imagery we gather requires analysis by geospatial experts,” Desmarais says. “About 1,000 CAP volunteers analyze imagery CAP collected, as well as imagery provided by the National Weather Service, NOAA, NGA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a variety of other commercial and government sources. This level of analysis, combined with remote capabilities, allows aid to be delivered faster than ever before. In the last few days, our personnel have collected and assessed over 10,000 images and over 64,000 structures for response efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.”
Investing in the Future
Through a U.S. Air Force-funded program, CAP provides STEM materials to over 5,000 teachers and trains 32,000 cadets. Desmarais is particularly proud of the cadet program, which offers cadets the opportunity to earn private pilot certificates.
“Our cadet program is skyrocketing; truly, it’s the largest in terms of membership in over 40 years,” he says. “We also have an expanding career exploration program that allows cadets to grow within CAP while gaining real-world experience.”
While visiting CAP’s Advanced Flight Training Academy, where a small group of cadets earn their private pilot certificate at one event, Desmarais encountered two students headed to Embry-Riddle and one preparing for ROTC.
A Personal Legacy
Desmarais’s connection to CAP runs deep, but his parents’ involvement adds a personal note to his story. After a traumatic flying experience during their honeymoon, Desmarais’s parents avoided airplanes for a long time; the first time John’s father flew again was when they went to tour Embry-Riddle together for the first time. Both of his parents joined CAP after he did and still serve as volunteers today. However, Desmarais’s aviation involvement rekindled his father’s passion for flight. His father even volunteered with CAP and became a crewmember.
Looking back, Desmarais credits his time at Embry-Riddle for instilling in him the leadership and resilience that continue to guide his work today.