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Lt. Col. Phil Zedonek has been Florida Wing’s Vice Commander since March 2011. He also serves as the Wing Government Relations Officer He is second-in-command of Civil Air Patrol's largest wing, with more than 4,100 members and 29 aircraft. For more than a year, he was the deputy commander of Florida Wing Group 3, a 21-squadron group of about 1,000 members -- bigger than some CAP wings -- that stretches across most of west-central Florida. He has also been a unit aerospace education officer, safety officer, deputy commander and served on numerous IG Inspection Teams Zedonek is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, where he spent more than 21 years in the Signal Corps. His assignments included numerous command positions, ranging from platoon leader to battalion commander of a 650-member tactical signal unit which deployed to Saudi Arabia during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. His major staff assignments include serving as adjutant for a signal brigade; a staff officer at the White House Communications Agency which supported the president, vice president and staff in Washington, D.C., and while traveling worldwide; and as the Fort Gordon Signal Center/Augusta, Ga. Post Inspector General. Zedonek’s military awards and decorations include, but not limited to, the Presidential Service Badge, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Desert Shield/Desert Storm Campaign Medal and the Liberation of Kuwait Medal. His CAP awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Award, Commander’s Commendation Award with two bronze clasps,AchievementAward, Gen. Chuck Yeager Award, Amelia Earhart Award, Disaster Relief Ribbon with "V” device, Rescue "Find” Ribbon, Orientation Pilot Ribbon, National Commander Unit Citation, Unit Citation Award, Community Service Ribbon, Encampment Ribbon and Recruiter Ribbon. He has completed Level V of the professional development program and earned the Gill Robb Wilson Award. He is also a rated CAP pilot and has attended the Senior Inspector General Course, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center Search and Rescue Management Course, the National Safety Officer College, the Southeast Region Staff College and the National Staff College.He earned a Master Ratingin Aerospace Education and Cadet Programs, a Senior Rating in Inspector General and holds other Technician Ratings. He is active in CAP emergency services and holds current ratings in urban direction finding, mission scanner, mission observer, transport mission pilot, cadet and AFROTC orientation pilot, Critical Incident Stress Management, mission staff assistant, liaison officer, mission safety officer and is an Air Operations Branch Director. Zedonek is actively pursuing completion of ground team member 3 and mission pilot, with the goal of becoming an incident commander 3. Zedonek earned a bachelor of science degree in journalism/public relations from the University of Florida, a Master of Arts in psychological counseling from Ball State University and a master of science in communications, research and theory from Florida State University. His military schools include the Signal Corps Advance Course, the Command and General Staff College and the Army Inspector General Institute. Zedonek also possesses an active Florida real estate broker’s license. A Lakeland resident, Zedonek is married with three grown sons. He also volunteers with local organizations and has traveled on five international mission trips as a dental assistant or construction worker. He is a Guardian ad Litem for the 10th Judicial Circuit Court and serves on the Board of Directors for "First Step", a non profit organization with the Department of Corrections assisting new parolees. [Last Updated: April 2013]