Attendees at AFA’s 2003 National Convention gather for the opening of the Aerospace Technology Exposition.

Many delegates traveled by bus to Arlington National Cemetery for a memorial service held on Sept. 14. Donald J. Harlin, AFA National Chaplain, gave the invocation and closing prayer. The 2003 Memorial Tribute List was read by AFA Chairman of the Board John J. Politi and National President Stephen P. “Pat” Condon.

The Air Force Anniversary Dinner was held on Sept. 17, the day before the Air Force turned 56. The event celebrated aerospace accomplishments of the past century and honored those individuals and organizations who made possible those achievements. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, vice chief of staff of the Air Force and the Gulf War II air component commander, was presented with the H.H. Arnold Award, AFA’s top award for contributions to national security by a military member.

In that same evening, AFA named Secretary of the Air Force James G. Roche as the 2003 recipient of the W. Stuart Symington Award, AFA’s highest award for contributions to national security by a civilian.

The Joint Direct Attack Munition Industry Team, led by Boeing, was honored with the John R. Alison Award for industrial contributions to the nation’s security.

AFA presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Maj. Gen. John R. Alison, USAF (Ret.); Maj. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm, USAF (Ret.); Col. Charles E. McGee, USAF (Ret.); and Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, USAF (Ret.). Col. John H. Glenn Jr., USMC (Ret.), also received a Lifetime Achievement Award but could not attend the presentation ceremony.

Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking at one of two convention symposia, delivered a ringing defense of the need to stay on the offensive to prevent new terror atrocities. (See “Toward a New Style of Warfare,” p. 80.)

An Aerospace Industry Salute noted the achievements of four key aerospace companies: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon. Highlighting the festivities was a musical presentation, “It Can Happen When You Are Driven by a Dream,” narrated by Tim White and featuring Juanita Williams, soprano, and the Alexandria Harmonizers Quartet.

Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force Chief of Staff, launched the convention with opening remarks on the morning of Sept. 15. Gen. Hal M. Hornburg, commander, Air Combat Command, was the guest speaker for the awards ceremony. Later that day, AFA recognized the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year at a dinner in their honor, with CMSAF Gerald R. Murray as toastmaster. Moseley was the dinner speaker.

The convention’s theme—“Up From Kitty Hawk: 100th Anniversary of Powered Flight”—carried through two symposia.

The first session of the symposium, on Sept. 16, featured Jumper; Gen. Gregory S. Martin, commander, Air Force Materiel Command; and Rebecca Grant, president of IRIS Independent Research and author of “Gulf War II: Air and Space Power Led the Way,” produced for the Aerospace Education Foundation. The morning session on Sept. 17 featured remarks by Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, and Roche.

In a second symposium, the Office of the Air Force Chief Scientist co-sponsored with AFA a series of speakers on Sept. 17 who discussed a wide range of developments and accomplishments of the last 100 years of flight. Presentations covered topics such as precision munitions, remote sensing, directed energy, satellites, and launch vehicles.

AFA Chairman of the Board John Politi (far right) and National President Pat Condon flank four recipients of AFA’s Lifetime Achievement Award: (l to r) John Alison, Bernard Schriever, Jeanne Holm, and Charles McGee. (See “Awards,” p. 68.)

An estimated 7,500 attendees participated in one or more convention-related activities. The 263 registered delegates representing 45 states and the District of Columbia were joined by senior military and government officials for the Aerospace Technology Exposition, speeches, and social events. The three-day exposition was subscribed to by 119 exhibitors. On hand to cover the convention were 120 reporters and news representatives.

Holding meetings concurrently were trustees of AFA’s affiliate, the Aerospace Education Foundation, as well as Air Force Memorial Foundation trustees and Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeants. Also meeting were AFA’s Air National Guard Council, Civilian Advisory Council, Enlisted Council, Company Grade Officers Council, Reserve Council, and Veterans/Retirees Council.

Election of Officers

John J. Politi, Sedalia, Mo., was elected Chairman of the Board of the Air Force Association for a second term. Stephen P. “Pat” Condon, Ogden, Utah, was elected National President of the Air Force Association for a second term. Thomas J. Kemp, Fort Worth, Tex., was elected National Secretary for a first term, and Charles A. Nelson, Sioux Falls, S.D., was elected National Treasurer for a fourth term.

Air Force Secretary James Roche (left) chats with AFA Chairman John Politi (right), National President Pat Condon (center), and former National Secretary Daniel Hendrickson.

Other Elections

Elected to the Board of Directors for three-year terms were M.N. “Dan” Heth, Hurst, Tex.; Michael J. Peters, Auburn, Calif.; Victor Seavers, Eagan, Minn.; Thomas G. Shepherd, Capon Bridge, W.Va.; Brad Sutton, Mountain Green, Utah; and Richard C. Taubinger, Roseville, Calif. In a special election, Kathleen Clemence, Reno, Nev., was elected to a two-year term to fill the uncompleted term of Scotty Wetzel, who died this year.

Three new Leadership Development Directors joined the AFA Board. They are Vivian P. Dennis, Centerville, Ga.; Joseph Price, Newport News, Va.; and James F. Shambo, Niceville, Fla.

Ten new Region Presidents were elected, and four Region Presidents were re-elected. Newly elected are James Hannam (Central East Region), O. Thomas Hansen (Northwest Region), Robert E. Largent (Southeast Region), J. Ray Lesniok (Great Lakes Region), Peter Robinson (Southwest Region), Robert P. Talley (North Central Region), Eric P. Taylor (New England Region), Raymond Turczynski Jr. (Florida), John Wickman (Far West Region), and Charles P. Zimkas Jr. (Rocky Mountain Region).

For a complete list of AFA National Directors and Region Presidents, including those re-elected, see “This Is AFA” on p. 95 and “Field Contacts” on p. 89.

AFA National Treasurer Charles Nelson and his wife, Kristine, tour the exhibit halls.

AFA’s Aerospace Education Foundation elected the following officers: L. Boyd Anderson, Ogden, Utah, Chairman of the Board; Mary Anne Thompson, Oakton, Va., President; David R. Cummock, Daytona Beach, Fla., Secretary/Treasurer. The foundation trustees have made major changes to their structure, to include reducing the number of trustees and eliminating one officer position. AEF no longer will have separate officers for Secretary and Treasurer.

AEF trustees newly elected to two-year terms are: Bonnie B. Callahan, Winter Garden, Fla., and Victoria W. Hunnicutt, Gray, Ga. Max Stitzer, Fort Worth, Tex., was elected for a one-year term.

Thomas Kemp, newly elected AFA National Secretary, addresses AFA delegates during one of the business sessions. Delegates unanimously approved the new AFA Statement of Policy. (See “Imperative of Air and Space Power,” p. 64.)

Other AFA Business

Delegates unanimously approved the AFA Statement of Policy (see “Imperative of Air and Space Power,” p. 64) and Top Issues for 2004.

Congressional Activity

AFA state delegations sponsored Congressional Breakfasts on Tuesday of convention week, with 14 members of Congress participating. Among them were Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.), all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.),and Sen. Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.), co-chairman of the Air Force Caucus.

Coleman Rader (left), a former AFA National Director, and Doyle Larson, former Chairman of the Board, huddle with Mary Anne Thompson, newly elected President of AFA’s Aerospace Education Foundation.

Also participating in the AFA breakfast meetings were Reps. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), Jeb Bradley (R-N.H.), and John Kline (R-Minn.), all members of the House Armed Services Committee.

Other Congressmen attending the breakfasts were Reps. Randy Neugebauer (R-Tex.), Steve Pearce (R-N.M.), Jim Matheson (D-Utah), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), Pete Sessions (R-Tex.), and Charles W. Stenholm (D-Tex.).

USAF Vice Chief of Staff Moseley attended the Congressional Breakfast hosted by Texas, while ACC commander Hornburg attended breakfasts hosted by Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington. Gen. Lance W. Lord, commander, Air Force Space Command, attended the breakfast hosted by the Wyoming delegation, and Lt. Gen. Paul V. Hester, commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, visited the breakfasts hosted by delegations from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Conventioneers hit the dance floor at AEF’s festive Sept. 14 gala, billed as a “Squadron Reunion.” Several individuals resurrected old “party suits” adorned with squadron patches.

Aerospace Education Foundation

A video on the theme of a century of military and commercial aviation accomplishments won AEF’s annual Jimmy Stewart Aerospace Education Award. The winning entry was from Unit GA-871 at Shiloh High School, Snellville, Ga. The video presented a retrospective on the story of aviation through its early years, two world wars, and up through Operation Iraqi Freedom. The video noted that the US did not have one combat-worthy aircraft at the start of World War I, but when it ended, the lesson learned was “if you control the air, you cannot be beaten. If you lose the air, you cannot win.”

Sally Gwaltney, from Wilson, N.C., received the Christa McAuliffe Memorial Award as the year’s outstanding aerospace science, mathematics, and computer science teacher. The Lincoln Chapter, Lincoln, Neb., received the Sam E. Keith Jr. Aerospace Education Award of Excellence. The award is named in honor of the late AFA leader and former Board Chairman and National President from Fort Worth, Tex. Jeri Ann Martin, Hurlburt Field Chapter, Fla., won the George D. Hardy Memorial Award. The winner is nominated by an AFA chapter for outstanding contributions to furthering the scientific, technical, and aerospace education of the nation’s youth.

Another gala attendee, Gerald Chap-man, brought a copy of his orders—signed by Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

On Tuesday afternoon, Moseley presented the Chief of Staff Team Excellence Awards for 2003 to: the C-5A Galaxy Torque Deck Repair Team, 433rd Airlift Wing, Lackland AFB, Tex.; Commercial Air Resource Evacuation Team, 374th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan; F100 Engine Supply Chain Process Improvement Team, Tinker AFB, Okla.; Night Operations Team, Air Mobility Command’s Directorate of Operations, Scott AFB, Ill.; and Solid State Phased Array Radar Trainer Team, 381st Training Group, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

Acknowledgments

Parliamentarian for the AFA National Convention was Joan L. Blankenship. Inspectors of Election for the National Directors were James Callahan (Chairman), William D. Duncan Jr., and Robert Rutledge. Inspectors of Election for National Secretary were Mark Worrick (Chairman), J. Ray Lesniok, and Edward I. Wexler. Judy K. Church chaired the Credentials Committee, serving with Bonnie B. Callahan and George C. Pankonin.

Delegates gave special recognition to four charter AFA members who are still very active in the association. They are (left to right): Carl Beck, George Aguirre, Harold Henneke, and Sam O’Dennis.

The association is particularly grateful to a corps of volunteers who assisted the staff in convention support: Cecil G. Brendle, Jimmy R. Canlas, Charlie Tippett, Debbie and Greg Snyder, and Leola Wall.