Glen Burnie resident honored with Civil Air Patrol national award
Since joining the Civil Air Patrol's Carroll Composite Squadron in Westminster in 2003, Lt. Col. Brenda Reed has risen through the ranks and has undertaken duties at the squadron, wing, region and national levels.
And in all of those areas, the Glen Burnie resident has “excelled and influenced CAP and its members to improve,” according to a news release.
For her work and leadership, Reed has been named the 2018 Civil Air Patrol Senior Member of the Year. She was presented with the award at the organization's national conference Saturday in Anaheim, California. Reed is currently the Maryland Wing's chief of staff.
Civil Air Patrol is the all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary. It is the newest member of the Air Force's Total Force, consisting of regular Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, along with Air Force retired military and civilian employees, according to a news release.
Nearly 1,500 CAP members serve in Maryland. Members of the wing flew 13 search-and-rescue missions last year (32 missions overall for the state) and they were credited with four finds.
During her time in Carroll, Reed eventually became the squadron's commander. The group was named Squadron of the Year in 2010. It earned her the Squadron Commander of the Year award.
The Carroll squadron grew to one of the largest in the Maryland Wing and had the biggest increase of aircrew and ground personnel, according to the news release.
While serving at the Carroll squadron, Reed became the Maryland Wing's public affairs officer. In 2014, she took over as director of public affairs for the Middle East Region, overseeing a sevenstate region.
Reed joined CAP because two of her children were cadets and she has been involved in many cadet activities over the years, the release said One son was named the Civil Air Patrol's National Cadet of the Year in 2008.
She holds a bachelor's degree in history and a master's in distance education and e-learning with a teaching and training specialization, both from the University of Maryland. She is also a graduate of Air University's Air Command and Staff College.
Reed initiated the Maryland Wing e-learning program in 2013, designing and implementing several online courses which have been attended by students around the nation, the release said.