Meet the Command Staff

Wing Commander: Col Matthew J Valleau

Colonel Matthew J Valleau is a 35 year member of the Civil Air Patrol.  He assumed command of the Connecticut Wing in May of 2021.  Prior to that he was the Chief of Staff for Connecticut Wing Headquarters and has also held the positions of Vice Commander, Director of Communications, and was the Squadron Communications Officer at the Connecticut Minuteman Composite Squadron in New Haven.  He also serviced as the Deputy Chief of Staff – Communications at the Northeast Region Headquarters.   

Colonel Valleau has been a Mission Pilot, Mission Pilot Check Pilot, Mission Coordinator, Air Operations and Ground operations Director and Communications Unit Leader.   As a VOLU Level V instructor Colonel Valleau has taught numerous courses and been a seminar adviser for the Northeast Region Staff College.  He is a 2013 Graduate of the Pacific Region Staff College, and a 2015 Graduate of the National Staff College.

Colonel Valleau Holds a Commercial Pilots certificate with both Single Engine and Multi Engine land and is instrument rated with a High Altitude endorsement.  

In his professional Career, Colonel Valleau is one of the Senior Telecommunications Engineers for the State of Connecticut, working at The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protections Connecticut Telecommunications System (CTS).  He specializes in Land Mobile Radio, Microwave, Satellite, and HF Communications

Wing Vice Commander: Lt Col James Whitesell

Lt Col James Whitesell joined Civil Air Patrol in 2013 as a pilot.  He is currently the Vice Commander of the Connecticut Wing.  Lt Col Whitesell is also the Government Relations Officer and the liaison to the military in Connecticut.  

Prior to his current position, Lt Col Whitesell was the Director of Operations for the Connecticut Wing.  He also held the position of Squadron Commander of the Royal Charter Composite Squadron in Hartford, CT.  and served as the Aerospace Education Officer at Royal as his first duty position in Civil Air Patrol.

Lt Col Whitesell is a Mission Pilot, Mission Check Pilot, is qualified in all aircrew positions and is a skills evaluator for all Civil Air Patrol air crew positions.  Lt Col Whitesell holds an instrument pilot certificate and is rated as a senor pilot in Civil Air Patrol,

In his professional career, Lt Col Whitesell received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.  He worked in computer engineering for 6 years then changed to sales and marketing at Hewlett Packard Company marketing high end microprocessor development and test equipment to hardware and software engineers.  After 10 years at Hewlett Packard, he worked for large, small and start-up companies in sales and marketing and business development.  Lt Col Whitesell gained leadership and management skills from his experience working for both large and small companies. 

Last Edited 10 SEP 22