Commander
COLONEL DENNIS R. BISSELL, CAP
Col Dennis Bissell assumed the position of Commander, Mid-Atlantic Region of Civil Air Patrol on 11 October 2025.
Col Bissell has been an active member of Civil Air Patrol for 20 years with a long history of leadership at all levels of the organization in the North Carolina Wing and the Mid-Atlantic Region. His experience also includes national assignments as a member of the NHQ investment committee, NHQ Uniform Board, Mid-Atlantic Region Liaison Officer to FEMA Region 4, and Mid-Atlantic Search and Rescue College director.
A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Bissell joined CAP as a cadet in October 1992 and held various cadet leadership roles as part of the Triad First Flight Squadron, including cadet commander.
As a senior member, Bissell has held multiple command and staff positions: North Carolina Wing Commander, Burlington Composite Squadron Commander, North Carolina Wing Legislative Squadron Commander, North Carolina Wing Inspector General, North Carolina Wing Chief of Staff twice, North Carolina Vice Commander, North Carolina Wing Liaison Officer to North Carolina Emergency Management, and North Carolina Director of Emergency Services.
Bissell has been highly active in the operational and emergency services missions supporting North Carolina Wing and Mid-Atlantic Region responses to multiple natural disasters, Search and Rescues, and other Homeland Security Missions. Bissell holds multiple mission qualifications including incident commander – Level 1, ground team leader, and mission pilot.
He is a graduate of the National Inland Search and Rescue Planning Course and the Basic Inland Search and Rescue Course. Additionally, he is a graduate of the 2020 National Inspector General Course, the National Staff College in 2015, and the Air War College (Distance) in 2023.
Bissell holds CAP Master ratings in Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, Emergency Services, Operations, Logistics, and Inspector General.
He has been recognized with numerous awards and commendations during his CAP career, receiving 3 Wing Commander’s Commendations, one region commander’s commendation, and one national commander’s commendation, four meritorious service awards, five exceptional service awards, and a distinguished service award. In addition, Col Bissell has been previously recognized as the North Carolina Wing IG of the Year, Aerospace Education Officer of the Year, Incident Command Team Member of the Year, and Mid-Atlantic region Incident Command Team Member of the Year.
Outside CAP, Bissell has 25 years of experience in Financial Services. He is currently a financial advisor in the Greensboro, NC area. He currently holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses and a North Carolina life and health License. Bissell holds multiple professional designations, including Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant, and Life Underwriters Training Council Fellow.
He earned a B.A in Managerial Economics from Hampden-Sydney College and an MBA from East Carolina University.
(Updated as November 2025)
