Virginia Wing Aerospace Educator receives National Recognition

Lieutenant Colonel Constance “CJ” Muncy of Civil Air Patrol’s Winchester Composite Squadron recently received the Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award Lifetime Achievement from Civil Air Patrol. This award recognizes superior excellence among the program’s many aerospace educators. Lt. Col. Muncy has proven herself an adept educator and leader. As the aerospace education officer for Winchester Composite Squadron, Muncy has led the squadron’s participation in numerous events including the High-Altitude Balloon Challenge, CyberPatriot, and the American Rocketry Challenge. Muncy’s impact goes beyond the unit level as she uses her expertise to help units throughout Virginia as well as surrounding states with their STEM and aerospace programs.  

CJ Muncy joined Civil Air Patrol in 1994 as a member of Virginia Wing and one of the founding members of the Minuteman Composite Squadron. She served in various roles in Culpeper, Prince William, and in Winchester in Cadet Programs and Aerospace Education. In her role as an educator and aerospace officer, Muncy has supported the Mission Tomorrow event in Richmond VA with over 12,000 8th graders for many years, fostered relationships with the Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum to support many of their events, and contributed to many Homeschool group events and conferences. She has supported Civil Air Patrol’s model rocketry program for over fifteen years, working with the Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry and represented Civil Air Patrol with an exhibit at the American Rocketry Finals every year.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lieutenant Colonel Muncy started virtual training for Virginia Wing Aerospace Education Officers to learn how to present and have “hands-on” activities in virtual settings.  This led to several aerospace education officers from outside of Virginia requesting training for how to accomplish these goals.  In January 2023 she opened the monthly virtual training to all Civil Air Patrol wings in the United States and overseas units. 

Muncy has recruited many aerospace education members into Civil Air Patrol. She has served at the unit and state levels as an Aerospace Education Officer and Assistant Director of Aerospace Education. Due to her many accolades, consistent record of exemplary performance, and readily apparent servant leadership, Lt. Col. Muncy was awarded the National Frank G. Brewer Aerospace Award Lifetime achievement category from Civil Air Patrol.  She has received, over her more than twenty years of service, Aerospace Education Officer of the year twice, two Disaster Relief Ribbons with “V” device, more than five Achievement Awards, at least four Commanders Commendations and two Meritorious Service Awards, to name a few recognitions. 

Aerospace Education is one of the three main missions of the Civil Air Patrol alongside Cadet Programs and Emergency Services. From model rockets and STEM kits, to sUAS and single-engine Cessnas, aerospace is central to the functioning of Civil Air Patrol. Cadet members of the program are exposed to a dedicated aerospace education curriculum and are given ample opportunity for advancement in aerospace and STEM fields. There are numerous national events, scholarships, and programs within Civil Air Patrol, that allow cadets with a passion for aerospace to meet like-minded people, hone their skills, and open doors for the future by career exploration. 

Lieutenant Colonel Muncy is just one of the many Aerospace Education Officers that help this program to flourish. Without servant leaders like CJ Muncy, these programs would not exist. Lt. Col. Muncy looks forward to many more years of serving Civil Air Patrol members in the pursuit of Aerospace Education.