Major Randall S. “Randy” Stastny of Fayetteville assumed command of Civil Air Patrol’s Peachtree City — Falcon Field Composite Squadron, GA116, from Lt. Col. David “Dave” Mitchell on June 16. Maj. Stastny has been a member of Civil Air Patrol and the local squadron since 2008.
Born and raised in Ohio, Stastny enlisted in the Army in 1967 and was commissioned a 2nd. Lt. of Artillery in 1968. After graduating from Rotary Wing Flight School in 1969, then-Lt. Stastny was deployed to Viet Nam, where he was awarded the Air Medal with “V”device and 38 clusters, the Bronze Star and the Silver Star. Shot down after a year, he was air-evacuated and hospitalized for a few months. He was then stationed in Germany for three years. At the time he left active duty Stastny had logged 2,000 hours rotary wing flight time.
Stastny then attended Auburn University, earning a Bachelors Degree in Aviation Management and a Master of Science in Economics (1977). Since then, Stastny has worked in the aerospace industry, working for General Dynamics on the F-16 and Lockheed where he worked on the F-22. Later he joined Delta Air Lines working in Information Technology. In 2001 he started his own computer software consulting company, from which he has since retired.
The Peachtree City Squadron of Civil Air Patrol was chartered in 1989 and has since become one of the most active squadrons in the Georgia Wing. Civil Air Patrol itself was chartered on December 1, 1941 and in 1947 became the official United States Air Force Auxiliary. Additional information on Civil Air Patrol can be found at www.gocivilairpatrol.com, or visit www.GA116.org. The Peachtree City Squadron meets every Thursday at 7 p.m. on the first floor of Peachtree City United Methodist Church, 225 Robinson Rd., Peachtree City and visitors are invited to all meetings.
