Vice Commander

Col Henry Irizarry is currently the Southeast Region Vice Commander supporting Georgia, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico Wings.

Col Irizarry joined the Civil Air Patrol as a cadet serving from 1985 to 1991 with the Mayaguez Cadet Squadron in the Puerto Rico Wing.  As a cadet, he ultimately earned the Ira C. Eaker Award equivalent and participated in IACE where he visited Sweden. 

In 2004, he rejoined CAP after returning from military service overseas for over 10 years in Colombia, Switzerland, Haiti and Costa Rica.  

Col Irizarry served as the Florida Wing Commander from 2014 to 2017. Prior to that, he served as a Group Commander as well as in multiple positions at the national, group and squadron levels.  He has completed all five levels of the CAP senior member professional development program and holds master ratings in command and professional development, two senior ratings in cadet programs and flight operations and a technician rating in safety. 

In 2010 he co-authored the CAP Officer Basic Course, in 2012 he served as an instructor at the National Cadet Officer School and in 2013 he participated as a senior escort with the International Air Cadet Exchange to Australia.   

Col Irizarry served in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years and retired from the U.S Coast Guard as a Commissioned Officer with over 21 years of active military service.  Upon retirement and before joining a shipbuilding company as a senior executive, Col Irizarry served in the federal civil service with the Department of the Army.   

Col Irizarry holds a Master's degree and has completed Graduate Executive Leadership programs at Harvard University, Cornell University, and UCLA.