CHAPLAIN (COL) VERNON P. HARMS (ret)
Chaplain (Colonel) Vernon P. Harms was appointed Chief of
Chaplains of the United States Air Force Auxiliary, C.A.P. in August 1991
during Civil Air Patrol's National Board meeting in Washington, D.C.
In his duties he was the advisor to the National Commander of CAP and the
members of the National Executive Committee on matters of religion, morals,
and the well-being of personnel. He also chaired the National Chaplain
Committee and the National Chaplain Administrative Committee. His
responsibilities as Chief of Chaplains, were in concert with the Director of
Chaplain Services, USAF.
Prior to this appointment, Chaplain Harms served as Pacific Region Chaplain
where he was responsible for implementing a chaplain program established
by the National Chaplain Committee and the National Chaplain Administrative
Committee. Chaplain Harms has served as squadron chaplain in Kansas,
Nebraska, and Oregon, and as Wing Chaplain in Nebraska and Washington.
In addition to his chaplain duties, he served as a qualified mission pilot and
check pilot with Civil Air Patrol. He is a command pilot with more than 6,000
hours with land, sea, and jet aircraft qualification, and holds a Certified Flight
Instructor rating in aircraft and instruments. Chaplain Harms has attended
and directed several Region Chaplains' Staff Colleges and has completed
Levels I through V of the Senior Member Training Program with numerous
ribbons and commendations, including the following ribbons: Commander's
Commendation, Unit Citation, Gil Robb Wilson, Paul E. Garber, Grover
Loening, Leadership, Membership, Aero-Education, Red Service, Search &
Rescue, Disaster Relief, International Air Cadet Exchange, Encampment and
Senior Recruiter. Chaplain Harms retired as Chief of Chaplains at Maxwell
AFB, Alabama on 19 November, 1993 where he was awarded the
Distinguished Service Medal.
Chaplain Harms was born November 5, 1926 in Meade, Kansas, He joined
Civil Air Patrol in April of 1953 in Hutchinson, Kansas, where he established a
new inter-denominational church shortly after graduating magna cum laude
from Grace University and was ordained by The Fellowship of Evangelical
Bible Churches. Excepting for a brief medical interruption, he has served
CAP for 49 years.
Due to numerous throat surgeries, Chaplain Harms left the ministry and
entered aircraft sales with a Cessna dealership. He then joined Lear Jet
Corporation in Wichita, doing some test flying in the early models, which
experience prepared him for his future job as Director of Marketing. After
eight years in aircraft sales, he regained his public speaking capability and
returned to founding new churches.
Some of his past positions include being a member of the Board of Directors
of: Prairie View Hospital, Evangel Aircraft, and Grace University. He also
served on the administration of Grace University, the Advisory Board of the
Lincoln/Lancaster County (Nebraska) Planning Board, and was a Volunteer
Probation Officer in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Chaplain Harms began a chapel program at Kingsley Air Field in Oregon in
the summer of 1995 and until October of 1999 served as chaplain for the
173rd Fighter Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard. He also served as
chaplain for the Sunriver, Oregon police department and still serves the
chaplain slot of The Retired Officers Association in Green Valley, Arizona..
He has just been appointed as an Arizona Department of Public Safety
Chaplain, serving in the Tucson and surrounding areas.
Chaplain Harms is married to the former Judy Hamilton and now resides in
Green Valley, Arizona, near Tucson. Chaplain Harms has three sons.
Length of total service: 49 years
Time as Chief of Chaplains: 10 August ‘91 to 19 November ‘93
Present duty: March 2002 till the present, Chaplain for the Arizona Dept. of
Public Safety, Highway Patrol; recently appointed Chaplain for the U.S. Marshal’s Service