Arlington, VA, September 23, 1996 - Alabama AFA's Montgomery Chapter received the prestigious Air Force Association (AFA) D.W. Steele, Sr. Award as the outstanding organizational unit of the year. Chapter President Roy Boudreaux accepted the award at the recently concluded AFA National Convention and Aerospace Technology Exposition in Washington, D.C.

The Montgomery Chapter has, in the words of AFA National Vice President Henry Boardman, "the perfect blend of active duty, retired and civilian business leaders to achieve outstanding results on base, in the schools and universities, and in the community." The chapter has gone through an intense revitalization over the past few years. AFA National President Gene Smith praised the Montgomery Chapter as a "positive example for other chapters to emulate to increase the critical element of community and membership involvement."

The chapter was approached by civic leaders from Montgomery to design, create, fund and build a memorial to the Air Corps Tactical School on Maxwell Air Force Base. Gracing the west lawn of the Air University headquarters, the memorial, presented by the Chapter to the university and the air base, stands as a tribute to the original architects of air power. The chapter has also been contacted by Tuskegee University to seek its assistance in the creation of a memorial honoring the Tuskegee Airmen.

The chapter proudly participates in the Maxwell-Gunter Quarterly and Annual Awards Programs, recognizing the efforts of Maxwell-Gunter's outstanding airman, NCO, senior NCO, first sergeant, company grade officer and civilian employee. The chapter promotes aerospace education through "Partners in Education," a program which pairs Montgomery County public schools with local businesses, military organizations and civic groups to enrich educational opportunities of local students and encourage greater academic achievement. And it participates in the Aerospace Education Foundation's (AEF) "Visions of Exploration" program, a USA Today education program that is being used in 10 classrooms around the area.

The Montgomery Chapter recently teamed up with Auburn University to sponsor the 1996 Alabama Crystal Growing Competition. The competition is open to all fifth and sixth graders in any Alabama public, private or independent school and is intended to teach students the science of crystal formation. Additionally, the chapter sponsors Project SOAR (Science Opportunities using Aerospace Resources), a motivational curriculum using aerospace themes to stimulate learning. And, the chapter has a long history of support for Auburn University's Arnold Air Society/Angel Flight program.

"If it's true that the local chapter is the mainstay of the Air Force Association, then we need only to look at AFA Chapter 102 to find the perfect example of what an outstanding chapter can and should be," Boardman stated. "They're serving the needs of their membership through meaningful and timely programs whose central theme is always a strong advocacy for air power."