About Group 1

History

Group One (AL-100) was stood up on 2 Jan 2018 when Col Michael Oakman, a former Alabama Wing Commander, assumed command of the newly formed Group from Col Brett Lewis with the purpose of providing support, supervision and oversight of the Civil Air Patrol units located within the fifteen counties that comprise North Alabama. At that time Group One's area of operation was different that it is today because at that time Alabama Wing only had two Groups. So, Groups One and Two nearly evenly split the state until Group Three (Central) was stood up which established Group One's current area of operation. 

Area of Operation

• Total Area = 9,906 sq mi

• Est. Population = 1.3 million

• Counties and Squadrons

  • Lauderdale

  • Limestone

    • Pryor Field Composite Squadron (SER-AL-059)

  • Madison

    • Huntsville Senior Squadron (SER-AL-055)

    • Redstone Composite Squadron (SER-AL-119)

  • Jackson

  • Dekalb

  • Marshall

    • Mountain Lakes Composite Squadron (SER-AL-135)

  • Morgan

    • Gen Joe Wheeler Composite Squadron (SER-AL-134)

  • Lawrence

  • Colbert

    • Muscle Shoals Composite Squadron (SER-AL-041)

  • Franklin

  • Marion

  • Winston

  • Cullman

  • Etowah

  • Cherokee

Future Expansion

On 22 Jan 2024 after over twenty years SER-AL-059 at Pryor Field was reactivated with its reactivation ceremony and first meeting taking place on 25 Jan 2024. Currently Group 1 is looking for opportunities to expand and build units in counties without existing Civil Air Patrol units Marion, Winston, and Dekalb counties are three potential priorities due to the geography and distances from other Civil Air Patrol units and resources.

Commanders

Under current Civil Air Patrol Regulations, the Group One Commander serves a four-year command tour under rare circumstances they can be allowed to serve subsequent four-year terms but only with the approval of both Alabama Wing, and Southeast Region Commanders. The current commander is Lt Col Arnold Staton who assumed command on 1 Apr 2023 succeeding Lt Col Kim Miller who left the position to assume duties as Vice Commander, Alabama Wing. Prior to assuming command Colonel Staton had served as the Alabama Wing Director of Cadet Programs, as well as commanding the 2022, and 2023 Alabama Wing Encampments. Colonel Staton's prior commands were the Elizabethton Composite Squadron (SER-TN-016,) and Chattanooga Composite Squadron (SER-TN-187) in neighboring Tennessee Wing.