NER-MA-015 Westover Composite Squadron
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Squadron Commander

SQUADRON COMMANDER, WESTOVER COMPOSITE SQUADRON

Lt. Col. Claire Belden is the Westover Composite Squadron Commander, USAF Auxiliary-Civil Air Patrol, Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass. 

She has served Civil Air Patrol in a variety of specialty tracks, beginning as the Squadron Leadership Officer with Westover Composite Squadron.  She has also served in the capacity of Assistant Administration Officer, Deputy Commander for Seniors, and Deputy Commander for Cadets.  Prior to the start of her Senior Officer Career, she earned the Amelia Earhart Award as Civil Air Patrol Cadet. She has also served as project officer for multiple Massachusetts Wing Civil Air Patrol Conferences and Wreaths Across America.  In addition to these duties, Lt. Col. Belden has served as the primary advisor to the Westover Composite Squadron Cadet Color Guard since 2007.  She has led the team to National Cadet Competition in 2010 and 2011.

In Emergency Services, She is currently an Urban Direction Finding Team member. She has participated in exercises and real-world missions in numerous capacities.  

Lt. Col. Belden assumed the Squadron Commander position at the Westover Composite Squadron in July of 2017.

 

EDUCATION 

2005 Certificate in Medical Assisting, Porter and Chester Institute, Chicopee, Massachusetts. 

2006 Training Leaders of Cadets Course, Westover ARB, Massachusetts.

2006 Squadron Leadership School, Westover ARB, Massachusetts.

2008 Corporate Leadership Course, Westover ARB, Massachusetts.

2016 Northeast Region Staff College, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey 

 

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Aug 2005-April 2006, Squadron Leadership Officer

2. April 2006-January 2010, Deputy Commander for Cadets

3.  April 2006-Present, Squadron Color Guard Advisor

3. April 2007-January 2011, Assistant Administration Officer-Technician Rating

4.  January 2010-March 2013, Deputy Commander for Seniors

5.  March 2013-July 2017, Deputy Commander for Cadets-Senior Rating

6. July 2017-Present, Westover Composite Squadron MA-015 Commander

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Meritorious Service Award

Unit Citation Award

Commanders Commendation with Silver Clasp

Civil Air Patrol Achievement Award

Grover Loening Aerospace Award

Benjamin O. Davis Award

CAP Membership Award

Yeager Aerospace Education Award

Red Service Ribbon

National Color Guard Competition Ribbon with bronze star

Encampment Ribbon

 

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