Lt. Col. John Henderson was appointed Maryland Wing vice commander of operations on April 08, 2016 and vice commander on March 21, 2020.   As vice commander Henderson handles day-to-day supervision of Maryland Wing’s group structure and is the wing commander’s principal advisor and assistant on all matters related to management of the wing’s subordinate units while executing the Civil Air Patrol missions.

​He joined CAP as a cadet in December 1988 rising through the ranks achieving his Gen. Ira Eaker award in 1994.  That same year he was named Maryland Wing Cadet of the Year.  Lt. Col. Henderson served in many capacities in the Maryland Wing starting as one of the youngest squadron commanders in the Maryland Wing when appointed in 1997 to lead the White Marsh Composite Squadron.  Since that time he has served as a group commander, wing flight operations officer, wing director of operations, and his most current assignment as the deputy chief of staff, A3/5. In addition to his wing duties, Lt. Col. Henderson also served as the deputy director of operations at the Middle East Region Headquarters.  He is the director of the wing’s annual Robert Ayers Memorial Flight Scholarship Program, known to many as Solo School.

Lt. Col. Henderson is a Level 1 incident commander.  As a command pilot with over 2,000 hours of Pilot in Command time, he is an FAA-rated commercial pilot with an instrument rating.  He is a mission check pilot, mission check pilot examiner, and a cadet orientation pilot with over 100 cadets flown.

Lt. Col. Henderson has completed Level IV of the CAP professional development program and has a master rating in flight operations and a technician rating in communications.  He has been awarded the Chuck Yeager Aerospace Award.  He holds multiple commanders commendations and awards for Meritorious Service.  He was named Maryland Wing’s Senior Member of the Year in 2007 and was awarded Maryland Wing Staff Officer of the Year in 2005 and 2014.