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Col Burns got involved in CAP in July 1981 when his daughter, then a cadet, told him her squadron needed more Senior Members. In 1982 he became the Commander of the Lone Eagle Comp Sqdn, a position he held until April 1988. He then joined Group 221 as Deputy Group Commander and held that position until 1994. As demands for his time increased because of his responsibilities at work, he became Group Finance Officer and in 2002, Group IG until the end of 2006. He next served as NER IG until October 2008 and then became Assistant Deputy CAP-IG for Training (CAP/IGTA) in October 2008. In that position he was responsible for developing and implementing the Inspector General online Basic Course, teaching the IG Senior Level Course, Curriculum Director for the biennial IG College and Team Chief for the CAP/CAP-USAF Joint Compliance Inspection Team.

Col Burns holds Master ratings in Finance and Inspector General. He is a licensed Private Pilot and was an Air Crew member as an Observer in 1986 when Northeast Region won the National SAR Competition at Whiteman AFB.

He is a graduate of St. Peter's University with a BS in Chemistry and Education and also earned an MBA (Management) from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He spent 36 years in IT-related positions with IBM, Beneficial Corporation, International Paper, Warner Lambert and the CIT Group from which he retired as Sr. Vice President of Global Infrastructure Services. He is currently a Professor with Thomas Edison State College and teaches online courses in the Information Technology field.

He served in the military from July 1959 to Dec 1968. His active duty assignments included Firing Platoon Leader, 5th Battalion, 73rd Field Artillery (Sergeant Missile) (Germany), Commander, Nurnburg Equipment Maintenance Center (Germany) and General Staff Officer, 1st Logistical Command HQ (RVN). He was awarded a Bronze Star and an Army Commendation Medal. He is also the 1st Vice Commander of American Legion Post 157 (ME) and a member of the Maine Troop Greeters. He and his wife Pat now reside in Stockton Springs, ME.