Col Matthew Phillips, CAP/JA

Col Matthew T. Phillips is the chief of the Legal Officer Corps: a group of more than 300 lawyers around the country who support the work of the Civil Air Patrol. He previously served as deputy chief and as the Mid-Atlantic Region legal officer, providing counsel to four wing commanders, two region commanders, and two national commanders. He joined the Civil Air Patrol in 2010 and has concentrated his service on opportunities that use his legal training, experience as a teacher, and credentials as a pilot. In addition to graduate degrees from Duke and Wake Forest, Col Phillips has completed CAP’s National Legal Officer College (which he also directed in 2019) and the Squadron Officer School, Air Command & Staff College, and Air War College programs at USAF Air University.

Col Phillips is an instrument-rated pilot and primarily flies CAP’s G1000-equipped Cessna 182s. As an aircrew member, he has participated in multiple search-and-rescue and disaster relief missions in addition to training mission scanners and observers. In addition to legal officer roles, he has served as commander of North Carolina Wing’s Group 4 and as chief of staff of the North Carolina Wing.