Col. Ernest R. Bourgeois (left) receives his certificate of retirement from Col. John M. Eggen, Arizona Wing commander, along with a personal letter from Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter, Civil Air Patrol national commander.
Capt J. Brandon Masangcay
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
Arizona Wing
ARIZONA – Col. Ernest R. Bourgeois, commander of the Arizona Wing form Oct. 1, 2005-Oct. 31, 2006, is retiring from Civil Air Patrol after 20 years of service in not only the Arizona but also the Hawaii and California wings.
Bourgeois, who turns 80 in October, stepped down as wing commander when he was transferred to Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters to serve as director of Border Mission Operations, a position eventually eliminated when the national staff was reorganized. He then transferred back to the Arizona Wing and held various wing positions.
Bourgeois began serving in the U.S. Army in March 1951, seeing extensive combat in Korea and receiving disabling combat wounds. He was released to inactive duty in December 1952 and given an honorable discharge a year later.
He was employed by Chevron USA marketing in 1961 as a company service station attendant, then quickly moved up the corporate ladder as a jobber sales assistant, a wholesale sales representative and, for 10 years, a systems/procedures and marketing analyst.
After Bourgeois retired from Chevron USA in 1985 at age 55, he and his wife moved Arizona. He joined CAP and the Valley Verde Composite Squadron 205, eventually serving as a search and rescue and disaster relief mission pilot and mission observer, emergency services officer and squadron commander.
In 1995 he and his moved to Hawaii, where he transferred first to the Kauai Composite Squadron and then, in 1997, to the Maui Composite Squadron.
The couple returned to Arizona and to Squadron 205 in November 1997, where Bourgeois again served as emergency services officer before being appointed commander. In 1998 he was appointed Group 2 commander.
After a year, the Bourgeoises returned to Hawaii, where he again became a member of the Maui Composite Squadron, serving as a search and rescue and disaster relief mission pilot, mission observer and as administrative and personnel officer.
In 2001 Bourgeois transferred to the California Wing’s Camarillo Composite Squadron 61 as a search and rescue and disaster relief mission pilot and mission observer and emergency services officer. He became the squadron’s commander in 2002.
After returning once more to the Arizona Wing in 2003, he was assigned as the wing’s chief of staff by Col. John Varljen, wing commander. He succeeded Varljen as wing commander in October 2005.
Bourgeois has been an active private pilot for 36 years and has totaled more than 1,200 hours as a CAP senior pilot and senior mission observer. He decided to cease flying in 2007 even though he could still pass his required Federal Aviation Administration medical exams.
His military decorations include the Purple Heart, Korean National Defense Medal and various combat service medals, along with many CAP service medals and awards, including numerous Commanders’ Commendations.
He was recognized as Arizona Wing Pilot of the Year for 1992 and 1993. For many years he has been life member of the Disabled American Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart and Veterans of Foreign Wars.