Command NCO
Illinois Wing Command NCO
Chief Master Sergeant Eric S. Perham, CAP
About CMSgt Perham
Chief Master Sergeant Eric S. Perham serves as the senior enlisted advisor to the Wing Commander and participates in the Command Team’s decision-making on technical, operational, and organizational issues. He is responsible for reviewing Civil Air Patrol policies and instructions affecting the disposition of members within the wing and the Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Corps.
Chief Perham was born in Waukegan, IL and enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1992 as an Imagery Analyst assigned to a unit in Arlington Heights, IL. In January 1994, he went on active duty and completed the U.S. Army Special Forces Qualification Courses for both Weapons and Medical Sergeant. Chief Perham was permanently assigned to Fort Lewis, Washington; Fort Carson, Colorado; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Germany; and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He has conducted multiple deployments to Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, several countries in Central Africa and Eastern Europe.
Chief Perham retired from the U.S. Army in May 2017 as a Master Sergeant and relocated to the Metro East region of southern Illinois. He joined Civil Air Patrol in September 2017 and immediately served as both the Squadron and Group NCO as a Senior Master Sergeant, promoting to Chief Master Sergeant in June 2022. He has a Master rating in Health Services, two technician ratings in Emergency Services and Cadet Programs, and achieved Level V in the CAP professional development program which led to earning the Gill Robb Wilson Award #3874 in October 2020. He is also a recipient of the Meritorious Service Award, Commander’s Commendation Award, graduated from the Team Commander Course at Hawk Mountain Ranger School, and also served as staff at HMRS and encampment. He is extremely active in the ES mission, holding a Search & Rescue Technician II (SARTECH II) through the National Association of Search & Rescue (NASAR).
Chief Perham holds a Bachelor of Health Science from Campbell University, Associate in Engineering Science from Lewis and Clark Community College, Associate of Applied Science in Emergency Medical Technology from Central Texas College, and is currently working on a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Illinois. He works as an Emergency Preparedness and EMS Coordinator for one of the largest hospital systems in the Metro East and St. Louis areas.
