Arlington, VA, September 27, 1999 -- The Air Force Association (AFA) has awarded the Hurlburt Field (FL) Chapter its prestigious Donald W. Steele, Sr. Memorial Award, naming it the most outstanding unit of the year. The award was presented at the AFA National Convention and Aerospace Technology Exposition, held in Washington, D.C., in September.

The Hurlburt Chapter excelled in every category, from leadership in the community to promoting aerospace awareness to offering scholarships to men, women and cadets seeking to better themselves through higher education. The chapter awarded four $250 AFA Eagle Grant scholarships to top graduates of the Community College of the Air Force. Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships were awarded to Cadet Lt. Col. Melissa Bielawski of Gulf Breeze High School and Cadet Major Christian Jones of Pensacola High school.

But the chapter’s educational involvement doesn’t stop there. By developing a “three-pronged approach that targets students, teachers, and communities, we are now firmly entrenched in promoting aerospace education,” said Chapter President Mark Andrews. “The key to our commitment is sponsoring six `Visions of Exploration' programs . . . using space as a motivating theme. [Most] importantly, [the programs have] helped supply local school children with the skills necessary for success in math and science.” “Visions of Exploration” is the USA Today newspaper-in-the-classroom program that focuses on developing skills in math, science and geography among elementary school students.

Another of the chapter’s exciting new programs is its Captive Flight Demonstrator Wind Tunnel on display at the Ft. Walton Beach FOCUS Center in Florida. The Demonstrator is an interactive system that uses a remote-controlled model airplane with a wingspan of 15 inches. Mounted on a custom floating arm inside a compact wind tunnel, the demonstrator simulates airplane pitch, roll and yaw movements, giving the visitor a simulated feeling of flight. Thanks to the amount of interest surrounding this project, the FOCUS Center has identified this project as the impetus for a future aerospace section in its halls.

The Hurlburt Field Chapter also pays tribute to the many men and women who serve our country every day and go virtually unrecognized. Through its “Unsung Heroes” recognition program, the chapter singles out top performers from the 16^th Special Operations Wing and base tenant units at Hurlburt Field AFB. At two recent chapter events, 22 outstanding personnel were recognized and awarded in grand fashion. Former Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Donald Wurster said that he considered this one of the finest and most beneficial programs on the base.

Overall, the Hurlburt Field Chapter stood above the rest during the past year in community activities, recruitment, and continued educational outreach. In terms of recruitment, in just a matter of months, chapter membership grew 7.3%, up from 468 members in April 1998 to a whopping 502 in February 1999. The chapter also gained 12 new community partners. AFA’s Community Partner Program provides a way for local businesses to add their support to a chapter’s outreach programs.

The chapter continues to support the AFA mission of educating the public about the role of aerospace power in our nation’s defense and supporting the needs of Air Force people. In his letter to AFA’s awards committee, Andrews stated that “this year our education endeavors have been nothing less than a booster rocket propelling aerospace education into the next century.”

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CONTACT: Melissa Braxton, AFA Media Relations Assistant
(703) 247-5843
E-mail: mbraxton@afa.org

Local Contact: Mark W. Andrews, Hurlburt Field Chapter President
(850) 864-5571