SWR-TX-435
Main Content

Throwback Thursday with Major Matthew Congrove

November 5, 2020

Welcome to our ninth installment of our Throwback Thursday feature. If this is your first time vising our Throwback Thursday feature, be sure to check out the others by clicking the Throwback Thursday link in the “Categories” section to the right.

Today we feature Maj Matthew Congrove in pictures from just a few years ago. Maj Congrove is our former TX-435 Squadron Commander (2016-2017), when we were awarded a Unit Citation and were selected as Texas Wing Squadron of Merit

Maj Congrove joined CAP at the age of 13 at a squadron next door to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He was only involved for 2 years, then left the program.

New Cadet Congrove with his younger brother after receiving his first pair of blues from CAP; yet to be tailored, obviously.

Maj Congrove (middle-right) after flying in a general aviation plane for the first time at a Young Eagles event with CAP. Merritt Island Airport, Florida, 2000.

Maj Congrove ended up at Delta Connection Academy and Flight Safety International flight schools where he earned his commercial multi-engine with instrument, but was forced to quit for medical reasons. He re-joined CAP in 2006 as a Senior Member in Florida and served as Public Affairs Office for Group 2 and Group 4 Florida Wing, Group 5 Texas Wing, as well as Deputy Director of Marketing and Public Affairs and Deputy Director of IT at Florida Wing HQ. He also designed the Florida Wing patch and  participated in numerous nationally important missions as Public Information Officer, including:

  • NASA-Kennedy Space Center operations

  • He has met 4 astronauts through CAP, and got to land on the same runway the Shuttle landed on when returning to KSC from space

  • Falcon Virgo (Super Bowl and Washington DC security missions)

  • Hurricane Harvey

Maj Congrove (far-left, in blues) at the Shuttle Landing Facility with astronauts Colonel Pamela Melroy and Michael Gernhardt. Kennedy Space Center, 2007.

Maj Congrove (center) with the squadron senior and cadet leadership showing off their awards haul at the National Conference. San Antonio, Texas, 2017.

Maj Congrove’s day job is Head of Design for a tech startup in Austin. He is a software developer by trade and worked for tech startups in Boston, Silicon Valley and Austin since 2007. He is married (Kirsten), with identical twin 2-year-old daughters (Katla and Harper).

Thank you Major Matthew Congrove for your extended service to Civil Air Patrol and our squadron!

« Back

© 2024 Civil Air Patrol. All rights reserved.
×