Holiday Letter

Thanks to each of you – members, volunteers, and staff – for all you’ve done this year. What a great year we’ve had. We’re honored and privileged to serve as your AFA national officers.

An excellent tone was set for 2008 right from the start with a very successful Air Warfare Symposium in February in Orlando. Our industry partners helped make the event a huge success.

The highlight of our year is always the Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition in September, and this year was no exception. It included an excellent and varied group of speakers, and we received tremendous feedback from attendees. Again, this year the sessions were an invaluable professional development opportunity for all participants with three dozen addresses, forums, and workshops. Over six thousand people visited the Aerospace Technology Exposition, where a growing number of exhibitors showed off cutting-edge air and space technology. Many AFA members and delegates to our National Convention joined us for a moving wreath laying ceremony and memorial service at the Air Force Memorial. This soaring Memorial is a lasting achievement for AFA and a fitting tribute for the Airmen that have served our nation so ably.

The last major event of the year for AFA was our Global Warfare Symposium and the annual Air Force Ball in Los Angeles in mid-November. Held each year at the Beverly Hilton, this effort is always a hit. This year we had an expanded two-day format, closed out by the Secretary of the Air Force.

Throughout the year, your Air Force Association has been involved in strategic communications outreach in many ways including the media, emails from the President and discussions on Capitol Hill. All these efforts work together to help educate the American people about the value the Air Force plays as part of a strong national defense and especially in the Global War on Terror.

We are already looking ahead to the year 2009 and its transitional environment. We’ll be working with a new Secretary of the Air Force, new Administration, and Congress. It will be an important year for our Association and the United States Air Force. Our Airmen remain in harm’s way, and extended budget and economic pressures continue to force service planners to make tough choices on recapitalization, people, and future programs. AFA will continue to actively educate the public and the Congress about the importance of air, space, cyberspace power, and a strong national defense. Simultaneously, we will work to grow so that we can better fulfill our mission here at AFA.

The courage, dedication and sacrifice of our active duty, guard and reserve men and women in uniform, along with their civilian counterparts and industry partners, and all their families are remarkable. We are proud of them and will keep them in our prayers this holiday season. Please remember to reach out to our Airmen and their families in your communities to let them know how much you appreciate the work they do.

You – the volunteers in the field and our professional staff at national headquarters – are the reason for the Association’s success. Working together, we will help improve the quality of life of our nation’s Airmen and ensure that our Air Force is ready to meet the major challenges of the future.

From your AFA National Officers, have a Merry Christmas! Enjoy this special time of year with family and friends, and we look forward together to a great New Year.

Sincerely,

Joseph E. Sutter	James R. Lauducci	S. Sandford Schlitt
Chairman of the Board	Vice Chairman of the Board Field Operations	Vice Chairman of the Board Aerospace Education