Release #09.048
August 5, 2009

Capt. James Woodke Receives ALPA’s Presidential Citation
Salem, Wisc., Pilot Recognized for Compassionate Support of Pilots and Families

WASHINGTON—The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), will recognize American Eagle Airlines Capt. James Woodke with its 2008 Presidential Citation for his outstanding efforts to assist pilots and their families in times of crisis. The award will be presented today during ALPA’s 55th Air Safety Week in Washington, D.C.

“Capt. Woodke is personally responsible for building and maintaining the Critical Incident Response Program (CIRP) at American Eagle,” said Capt. John Prater, ALPA’s president. “For more than 18 years, he has been a selfless ALPA volunteer with a unique ability to motivate, inspire, and connect with pilots and anyone else who is in need of support.”

A certified field traumatologist and crisis responder, Capt. Woodke chairs American Eagle’s CIRP Committee and is a board-certified expert in traumatic stress, emergency crisis response, and school crisis response. He works regularly with other ALPA pilot groups and the National Pilot Assistance Committee to help them improve their pilot support programs.

In addition to his ALPA work, Capt. Woodke has worked in the area of emergency management serving as a volunteer for local school districts and the American Red Cross. He is currently the damage assessment coordinator for the Antioch Emergency Management Agency in Antioch, Illinois.

“It is not possible to quantify the impact of the assistance that Capt. Woodke provides at one of the most difficult times in people’s lives,” said Capt. Herb Mark, chairman of the American Eagle chapter of ALPA. “This is the spirit of volunteerism: helping people when they cannot help themselves.”

“I speak for all of ALPA’s members when I commend Capt. Woodke for his extraordinary dedication and service in always being there to help the ALPA family and his community when crisis strikes,” said Capt. Prater.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilots union, representing nearly 54,000 pilots at 36 airlines in the United States and Canada.

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Contact: Linda Shotwell or Rusty Ayers, 703/481-4440 or media@alpa.org