Board of Governors

Chief Master Sgt. Robert Dandridge

Civil Air Patrol Board of Governors Member

Retired U.S. Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Robert M. Dandridge joined the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Board of Governors in 2023. He is the first senior enlisted leader chosen to the Governors. As CAP’s top governing body, the 11-member board consists of four members selected by CAP’s Senior Advisory Group.

Dandridge joined CAP’s Scott Composite Squadron in 2004, at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He served in many roles as the Illinois Wing Command Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) and then the Missouri Wing Command NCO. His impact on missions and operations led to recognition as both wings Senior Member of the Year

By 2018, Major General Mark E. Smith appointed Dandridge the 4th national command chief master sergeant. He was the principal advisor on mission effectiveness, development, training, and use of CAP’s NCO Corps. He became an original member of the National Innovation Team tasked to simulate and sustain a culture of innovative behavior and thinking. He received professional innovator certification through the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, holds an aerospace management certificate from the Community College of the Air Force, and teaches as a CAP Volunteer University instructor. He also directed a dozen CAP professional development legacy courses, earned the Great Lakes Region Senior Member of the Year and twice received Civil Air Patrol’s Distinguished Service Award.

Dandridge served in the U.S. Air Force over thirty years with assignments in the Strategic Air Command, Military Airlift Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Pacific Air Forces, Air Mobility Command (AMC), and the U.S. Transportation Command. He is a Cold War veteran with deployments to Joint Task Force-Bravo, Operations FIERY VIGIL, SOUTHERN WATCH, and NOBLE EAGLE. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force NCO, Senior NCO, and First Sergeant academies. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a vast portfolio of military, joint, and executive leadership courses. He served in civil engineering as an environmentalist plus honor guardsman, missile trainer, career advisor, Soviet escort, major command inspector, first sergeant, and command chief. His performance garnered many honors, to include the first AMC Headquarters and Office of the Inspector General NCO of the Year; the Fifth Air Force Senior NCO of the Year; the AMC First Sergeant of the Year; the U.S. Transportation Command and the Air Force District of Washington Vanguard Heroic Acts Award. His benevolent efforts continue to strengthen the Civil Air Patrol campus.

Outside of CAP, Robert supports his spouse “spares and strikes” in all things bowling and their two Airmen sons.