--- title: "Alumni Profile Article" url: "https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/2/winter-2025/18/alumni-profile-article" --- # ‘If You Can Dream It, You Can Be It’ ## Air Force General and Civil Air Patrol Alum Credits CAP for Laying Foundation of Success By Paul South Young Stephen Snelson’s mind, heart, and soul centered on a single dream as he grew up in Rutland, Massachusetts, a town of fewer than 10,000 smack in the geographical center of the state. “As a little kid, everything I had flew,” Snelson said. “My Matchbox cars flew. Every toy I had flew. When I’d be on my bike, I could fly.” Those airborne dreams truly took off when future U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen Snelson, deputy commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, attended his first Civil Air Patrol meeting as a 13-year-old cadet after learning about the organization from a friend. “I thought, ‘Man. This is pretty amazing,’” Snelson recalled. “So I doubled down on it. I went to an air show at Hanscom Air Force Base, and I saw all these kids who looked just like me. They were in uniform, but they were on the other side of the fence line, and the Thunderbirds were there. “I thought, ‘How do I get to do something like that?”’ Those two encounters and the understanding that he would be able to learn to fly as a CAP cadet made a powerful impression. “I knew that Civil Air Patrol from that first meeting was exactly what I wanted to be a part of,” he said. “I really got passionate about it.” ![500h_q95-Snelson EC.webp](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/500h_q95-snelson-ec-OgK892.webp) _U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen Snelson (right) recently commanded the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. (U.S. Air Force photo)_ A family member’s legacy of service nudged him toward an active-duty military career. “The first biggest influence I had was my great aunt Doris,” Snelson said. “She was the head nurse in a [Mobile Army Surgical Hospital] unit during the Korean War. She would always tell me war stories about her time in Korea and some of the challenges she went through.” Snelson has memories of watching the popular television show “M*A*S*H” with his aunt. She would correct inaccuracies in the series. His story also has a bit of Hollywood glamour. “She was pen pals with one of the actors from the show and she would answer questions [from the actor] about life in the MASH unit.” That great aunt, Doris McKeon, whom Snelson described as “a very soft spoken, loving, elderly woman who just gave so much to her nation and risked so much to save lives around her was the first real example I had of selfless service.” McKeon’s legacy and his CAP service prepared Snelson for what has been an accomplished Air Force career of nearly three decades and counting. Some 14,000 Air Force airmen across 24 countries serve under his leadership as an Expeditionary Center commander. As Snelson considers his command in the context of his Civil Air Patrol experience, a common foundational truth applies: “Mission first. People always.” He added, “I saw that firsthand as a cadet when we would do search and rescue missions that were in miserable conditions. Never dangerous, but certainly really hard, whether it was going out and looking for a downed airplane or searching for a missing person, here these [adult] members were trying to corral and take care of this group of 10-20 — sometimes more — young kids going out into the woods." "That realization of ‘Yes, we have that mission. We have to go out there. There are people who are relying on us.’ What could have been a life-or-death mission — we put that to the forefront but never lost sight of how important it was to take care of our people while doing that tough mission,” Snelson said. That played out later in his Air Force career. For example, his role as a C-17 pilot during the invasion of Iraq, low-level special operations missions, and high-risk sorties into western Iraq. “These were missions that we ordinarily would have been hesitant to do,” Snelson said. “But we knew that people that we were working with and that we were supporting, they were relying on us to be able to execute our portion of that mission.” As a captain, Snelson planned the C-17 portion of the April 1, 2003, rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch, who was being held as a prisoner of war in a Baghdad hospital — a prime example of the military mantra, “Leave no one behind.” Snelson is a command pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours, including combat missions in support of operations Allied Force, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn. “It was one of the coolest missions I got to be a part of,” Snelson said of the Lynch rescue. “When you looked at where the forward line of battle was and you saw all the threats that were out there — in your gut you’re thinking: ‘No, we can’t do it; the risk is too high.’ But then you realize how important that mission was, and so you did it.” The mission, the first rescue of an American prisoner of war since World War II and the first-ever rescue of a female POW, illustrated key lessons in leadership. “Minimize the risk as best you can,” Snelson said. “Make sure you have the right equipment. Make sure you have the right briefings. Make sure you have the right training, so that if things do go badly, the team knows how to respond. “Those aren’t lessons I learned in the Air Force. I learned those as a cadet in Civil Air Patrol.” ![1000w_q95 (4).png](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/1000w_q95-4-rk6PB9.png) _Then-Air Force Col. Snelson walks President Donald J. Trump to Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on June 20, 2020. As the 89th Airlift Wing commander, Snelson served as one of the primary greeters for the U.S. president. (U.S. Air Force photo)_ “I look back at how many different times — whether it was an encampment or a standard weekly meeting, all of those fundamental leadership skills I was getting at 13, 14, 15 years old that a lot of my peers didn’t start experiencing in a military setting until they were either in ROTC or at the [Air Force] Academy and then commissioned. I got an advanced perspective on being an effective leader.” He added, “What I see when I encounter former CAP members is how important CAP was establishing a sense of service, that understanding of being part of something bigger than yourself.” Before assuming his current assignment, Snelson served as the U.S. Central Command vice director of strategy, plans and policy at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, where he managed the internal processes of the directorate and the planning and execution of Tier 1 joint and multinational exercises, developing military relationships with America’s international partners in coordination with U.S. interagency departments. Snelson’s first international experience, however, came in CAP through an International Air Cadet Exchange visit to the United Kingdom. “Going to IACE, you could hear their stories about what those other countries did and how they trained, that was another eye-opening moment for me,” Snelson said. “Even if we don’t always agree on everything that different nations are doing, we can still find commonalities to come together,” he added. “For sure, there is a lot of competition and there are adversaries out there. But I think as military leaders, after an experience like IACE, you realize there are opportunities to find cooperation and common ground, so hopefully you can avoid conflict down the line. “I absolutely attribute that to my first IACE experience.” Along with his various Air Force command responsibilities, Snelson has also served in CAP leadership roles at the squadron and wing levels. “I feel like each one of these experiences, particularly when I come in as a commander, I always fall back to those basics that I learned in Civil Air Patrol,” he said. “There’s the realization that the people around you don’t expect you to know everything, but they do expect you to care.” He added, “The other lesson I learned is it’s not about ‘I’ or ‘me.’ It’s about 'us.' I saw that as a cadet. You build that camaraderie if you always keep the focus on ‘us.’ You never talk about ‘me’ or ‘I.’ “We’re doing this out of service. We’re doing this as a team. We’re working together. We’re sacrificing together. That was a core principle I learned as a cadet.” ![500h_q95 Snelson EC.webp](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/500h_q95-snelson-ec-EexsQk.webp) _(U.S. Air Force photo)_ Snelson believes the Air Force should do all it can to strengthen its relationship with CAP, especially in areas near military installations, whether active duty, Air National Guard, or Air Force Reserves. He also advocated stronger ties between Air Force ROTC units at colleges and universities and CAP. “Our nation needs more pilots and man, there’s no better way to do it than Civil Air Patrol and what it can bring to our nation’s pilot production opportunities,” Snelson said. At the end of the day, the kid from the heart of Massachusetts who in dreams was always airborne and who grew into an Air Force general has a heart full of gratitude for Civil Air Patrol. “I just want to say thank you,” Snelson said. “Thank you to all the (adult) members and CAP leadership. I know there are always challenges, whether it’s budget, the ebb and flow of volunteer participation, I know it can get frustrating. “But I would just say a huge word of thanks to all those CAP members who keep this program thriving. Without them and their hard work, you never know what kid isn’t going to have their dream come to fruition, like me.” He also had a message for cadets. “If you think that you could never be a pilot, a general, or some other dream job, just know, no matter your background, if you can dream it, you can be it. It takes a lot of hard work. It takes a lot of tenacity. You’ve got to roll with the punches and know that you’re going to have those setbacks. But keep your goals high and your eyes set on those goals. “You never know what you’re capable of doing until you get out there and try.” *** ## Air Force General Gives Advice to His Younger CAP Cadet Self U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen Snelson was asked if he could write a letter offering counsel to his younger self — a kid in love with flying — what would he say? “Ironically, I’d write a book,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot of good lessons over the years.” Here are a couple of nuggets from the decorated pilot to himself, as well as to CAP adult and cadet members: “Have fun and enjoy every moment. Life goes by so fast,” he said. “I can’t believe I’m sitting here as a one-star and 28-year veteran. I feel like a lieutenant in my heart and like I just started serving a short time ago. Enjoy the moment. Don’t take for granted all those really amazing experiences that CAP and life in general offer you. All the different programs that CAP has; they are life changing. “Be prepared for setbacks and take them all in stride,” he said. “No matter what job you’re in, it’s the job you are supposed to be in at that very moment. That doesn’t mean that you don’t work hard. Try to improve your station. No matter where you are, master that craft. Do the best you can with what you’re handed, and you’ll never know what’s going to open up.” ![PullQuote_AlumniProfile.jpg](https://volunteermagazine.cap.gov/u/pullquote_alumniprofile-NdqIed.jpg) Snelson recalled his first day in pilot training. “I was going to be the world’s greatest fighter pilot,” he said. “I had visions of ‘Top Gun’ and riding my motorcycle down the runway like Tom Cruise.” Then came the flight. He got sick. Really sick. “I got within one flight away from getting kicked out of pilot training,” he said. “Thankfully, I made it. But very early on, I decided that doing flips and pulling G’s … we need people who can do that job and do it well, but I’m not one of those guys.” He discovered the aircraft that was right for him. “I changed my goal and changed my perspective,” he said. “I thought, ‘That C-17 looks pretty cool. That would be an awesome job. I was very fortunate to get a C-17 slot coming out of pilot training.” Snelson doesn’t mince words when it comes to CAP’s impact of on his life. “I look back at Civil Air Patrol,” he said, “and I truly wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that program.” He offers two last words of advice for CAP cadets and adult members: “Be bold,” he said. “Don’t wait for the chain of command above you to make change. Even a cadet at the lowest rank has to be bold. They have to look for ways to make the organization better. Everything we do can be improved. Always look for ways to make X or Y better.”