MISSION
Back to Top
The Air Force Association mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force and a strong national defense, and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage. To accomplish this, we:
- EDUCATE the public on the critical need for unmatched aerospace power and a technically superior workforce to ensure U.S. national security.
- ADVOCATE for aerospace power and STEM education.
- SUPPORT the total Air Force family, and promote aerospace education.
ORGANIZATION
Back to Top
AFA is led by volunteer leaders at the national, state
and local levels. AFA's state organizations and more than 230 chapters hold elections
and conduct programs to increase public understanding of key national security issues
in their communities. Programs range from luncheon and dinner activities to symposia
and legislative roundtables with Congressional leaders.
National officers and directors are elected by convention delegates
attending the national convention in September. Delegates are chosen at the state and chapter
levels to represent AFA's varied membership and vote on AFA policies. When finally adopted
at the convention, AFA policy takes the form of an overall
"Statement of Policy" and
"Top Issues."
TAX STATUS
Back to Top
The Air Force Association is an IRS Code 501(c)(3) organization.
Chapter and State organizations subordinate to AFA are recognized under IRS Exemption Number (GEN) 5392.
Contributions to AFA and subordinates are fully tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes (see
IRS Letter, 24 September 2009).
LEADERSHIP
Back to Top
AFA’s leadership team for 2012-2013: George K. Muellner, Chairman of the Board;
Scott Van Cleef, Vice Chairman of the Board, Field Operations; Jerry E. White, Vice Chairman of the Board, Aerospace Education;
Edward W. Garland, Secretary; and Leonard R. Vernamonti, Treasurer.
Further, AFA is divided into 3 geographic areas, comprised of 14 regions, each led
by a Region President.
Central Geographic Area:
- Great Lakes Region (Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio) - Kent D. Owsley
- Midwest Region (Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska) - John D. Daly
- North Central Region (Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin) - Victor Seavers
- South Central Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee) - Tom Gwaltney
- Texoma Region (Oklahoma, Texas) - Bob Slaughter
East Geographic Area:
- Central East Region (Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia) - Joseph L. Hardy
- Florida Region (Florida, Puerto Rico) - Michael Emig
- New England Region (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont) - Bob Wilkinson
- Northeast Region (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania) - Eric Taylor
- Southeast Region (Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina) - John R. Allen, Jr.
West Geographic Area:
- Far West Region (California, Hawaii, Guam) - Richard Taubinger
- Northwest Region (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington) - Rick Sine
- Rocky Mountain Region (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming) - Gayle White
- Southwest Region (Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico) - John A. Toohey
Day-to-day business is carried out by a headquarters staff in Arlington, Virginia, under the
leadership of AFA President Craig R. McKinley, a retired Air Force General.
PROGRAMS
Back to Top
In addition to state and chapter programs, AFA sponsors comprehensive briefings by key Air Force and DoD leaders at national professional development events across the country. These events are keyed to topical aerospace and defense issues. Our annual professional development events include: the Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington, DC; the Global Warfare Symposium in Los Angeles, CA; and the Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, FL.
The Association sponsors the annual Air Force Ball in Los Angeles in conjunction with our Global Warfare Symposium, and several other events, to raise money for its educational programs and Air Force charities. At its national convention, AFA hosts a dinner for the Air Force's twelve Outstanding Airmen of the Year. AFA also conducts an extensive annual awards program to honor top Air Force professionals in key career fields.
PUBLISHING
Back to Top
Each month, AFA publishes Air Force Magazine, a highly regarded aerospace
journal that reaches the desks of those in the highest levels of government, industry, defense,
business, academia, and the media. It is read for its authenticity, accuracy and investigative
spirit in reporting aerospace and defense matters. The current monthly circulation is 138,295.
AFA publishes several widely distributed newsletters:
NEWSLINE,
which consolidates the administrative and operational news from AFA Headquarters to AFA field leaders; and the AE NEWS NEWSLETTER,
which highlights subjects and events that are of interest to aerospace education
The Association also publishes its annual Statement of Policy and
Top Issues and, periodically, issue briefs
and special reports that are widely distributed on Capitol Hill, to the media, and
throughout AFA's grassroots network.
WEBSITE AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS
Back to Top
The AFA website continues to set new standards in the
advocacy of air and space power and is an essential tool in communicating to our members
and the public. Traffic is growing at a remarkable rate, with the website currently averaging
more than 8 million hits per month.
A number of important informational and educational products are provided through the website.
Air Force Magazine’s Daily
Report was launched in November of 2005 and provides credible, reliable, up-to-date information on the Air Force and
national defense issues. The Legislative Update is maintained by AFA’s Government Relations
department and offers a detailed view of the Association’s activities on Capitol Hill. The Media Room
is a repository for AFA’s press releases, policy documents, special reports and transcripts.
The Association also reaches out to its membership through e-mail. AFA Update is sent to 70,000 individuals (AFA members
and others) on a bi-weekly basis, providing updates on Association and Air Force activities, military quality of life, and
membership benefits.
EDUCATION
Back to Top
AFA is dedicated to ensuring America's aerospace excellence through education,
scholarships, grants, awards and public awareness programs. In addition, AFA sponsors a series
of studies and forums on aerospace and national security through its public policy and research
arm, the General Billy Mitchell Institute for Airpower Studies. The Institute seeks to carry on, in the modern day, General Mitchell’s
tireless and dedicated effort to expand airpower thinking and increase public awareness of the need for this unique military instrument.
AFA works through a network of thousands of individual members and volunteers
to distribute educational materials to schools and concerned citizens. This is done in part through
"Visions of Exploration," a joint multi-disciplinary science, math and social studies program with
USA Today.
Individuals and corporations may affiliate with AFA through its Gens.
Hap Arnold, Jimmy Doolittle, Ira Eaker and Bernard Schriever Fellowships, which support the
Association’s educational programs. Each year, AFA helps Air Force members and their spouses
achieve their educational goals by awarding scholarships and assisting educators with grants
to promote aerospace projects in classrooms. AFA's Pitsenbarger Awards offer unconditional
grants to top enlisted graduates of the Community College of the Air Force who intend to
enroll in an accredited program toward a career-related degree.
HISTORY
Back to Top
AFA's heritage is rooted in the legacy of Billy Mitchell. Mitchell had
seen the United States enter World War I as the eighth-ranked nation in airpower - exceeded by
Bulgaria, Greece, and Japan as well as by the major powers. Despite the bitter lessons of the
war in the air and the high priority other nations were giving to airpower, the U.S. Air Service
in 1919 was reduced from 10,000 pilots to 149; 6,000 were discharged in nine days. Mitchell fought
hard and long in support of the importance of airpower and the need for a strong national defense.
His work was carried on by the men who believed and served with him.
One of these men was the commander of World War II Army Air
Forces - General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold. In April 1945, General Arnold first mentioned the
need for an independent civilian organization to argue the case for military preparedness
and the importance of airpower. AFA was incorporated in the District of Columbia on
February 4, 1946. The Association's first national president was General Jimmy Doolittle, a
noted aviation pioneer and Medal of Honor recipient. A vice president at Shell Oil Co. at the
time, Doolittle took a year off to set up AFA chapters across the country.
Since then, AFA has spanned the air age, the missile era, the
conquest of space, the nuclear age and the post-Cold War period. Although Association policies
have evolved to meet changing technological and human demands, AFA has been constant in working
to support Air Force people and strengthen American aerospace power to help maintain national
security and preserve world peace.
In 2006, AFA celebrated its 60th Anniversary and consolidated its
activities with those of the Aerospace Education Foundation, formerly an affiliate. The
consolidation allowed AFA to become a tax-exempt charitable education institution. The
combined organization operates under the name ‘Air Force Association’ and has continued
and expanded the educational programs of the former Aerospace Education Foundation.
1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22209-1198
|
