A US Air Force F-16 pilot from the 23rd Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany, shows the flag just before a mission over Yugoslavia on May 3. The NATO airstrikes began March 24 and ended June 9. (USAF photo by SrA. Stan Parke)

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The Air Force Association
The Air Force Association is an independent veterans' organization whose objective is to promote greater public understanding of aerospace and national defense issues. AFA publishes Air Force Magazine and conducts programs directed at Congress, the news media, and the public. It has 287 local chapters in the United States and overseas. It was incorporated in 1946.

The Aerospace Education Foundation
The Aerospace Education is AFA's educational affiliate, established in 1956. It conducts a range of educational programs for public school students, teachers, and the general public. AEF awards scholarships and study grants. Its programs include the "Visions of Exploration" program, a joint effort with USA Today newspaper and local AFA chapters to promote science and math in elementary school classrooms.

The Eaker Institute for Aerospace Concepts
The Eaker Institute is the Aerospace Education Foundation's public policy and research arm, established in 1996 to expand on AEF's existing educational and publishing efforts in aerospace and national security policy. It is named after Gen. Ira C. Eaker, commander of the Eighth Air Force in World War II and a notable writer, lecturer, and thinker on aerospace issues.