Region Profile: North Central Region

Welcome to the North Central Region made up of the states of Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Montana is home to the Big Sky Chapter located near Malmstrom AFB and the 341st Missile Wing. The chapter also supports the 120th Fighter Wing of the MT Air National Guard and their F-15s. The Rushmore Chapter in Rapid City, South Dakota, supports Ellsworth AFB and the B-1 Bombers of the 28th Bomb Wing. In the eastern part of the state is the Dakota Chapter in Sioux Falls and the 114th Fighter Wing of the SD National Guard flying F-16’s.

In North Dakota the General David C Jones Chapter supports two active duty wings at Minot AFB. These are the B-52 equipped 5th Bomb Wing and the 91st Missile Wing. The Red River Chapter at Grand Forks AFB assists the 319th Air Refueling Wing. In Fargo, the Happy Hooligan Chapter supports the 119th Wing. The 119th has a dual mission of flying the MQ-1 Predator and the C-21.

Minnesota’s General EW Rawlings Chapter is located near Minneapolis and supports the 133rd Airlift Wing, MN Air National Guard and the 934th Airlift Wing, AF Reserve. Both wings fly the C-130. The Richard I Bong Chapter in Duluth supports the 148th Fighter Wing of the MN Air National Guard, flying the F-16. The Billy Mitchell Chapter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, supports the 128th Air Refueling Wing, WI Air National Guard with their KC-135 Tankers and the 440th Airlift Wing, AF Reserve flying their C-130s.

Our North and South Dakota chapters are proud to announce that all four Senators and two members of the House of Representatives are members of the Air Force Caucus. Each state has an excellent relationship with their Members in Congress and meets with them in person routinely. (See photo taken during the 2009 National Convention.) In addition, eight of our Junior ROTC and or CAP Units recently participated in the Cyber Patriot II competition. (See photo.)

Lena Simons, ND State President Ron Garcia, Congressman Earl Pomeroy and Jim Simons, North Central Region President.

Below: Members of the Minot HS JROTC Detachment participate in the AFA Cyber Patriot II competition.

Our Red River Chapter hosted a base wide bar-b-que attended by Senator Byron Dorgan, and they also conducted a fund raiser and took the proceeds and visited the North Dakota Veterans Home. Our David C Jones Chapter was recently selected as the AFA Chapter of the Year for its size category. The Jones Chapter, Red River Chapter, and the State of North Dakota each showed an increase in membership last year. The EW Rawlings Chapter in Minneapolis sponsors a wide variety of programs.

The ROTC Mentoring Program is made up of ROTC students from the University of Minnesota and University of St. Thomas and former members of the Air Force. The Chapter maintains a list of former Air Force members who regularly meet with the students one-on- one to discuss their former assignments and what to expect on active duty. Occasionally the ROTC students gather in one room and a speaker is brought in to share experiences on active duty and answer questions. This program is enjoyed by the cadets and the veterans alike.

The chapter holds an annual Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social at the local VA Hospital complete with a four piece banjo band made up of veterans. Volunteers are made up of ROTC students and chapter members. The event is held during the evening hours and about 50 veterans usually attend.

Each year the chapter sponsors an Awards Banquet which includes the local AFRES, ANG, ROTC from the two Universities, JROTC from four high schools, AF Recruiting Sq and CAP. Awards are given to (preselected by their peers) outstanding members of each unit to include the Teacher of Year.

This past year the St. Thomas University ROTC unit ran this outstanding program. Several St. Thomas University ROTC students gave their experiences as an ROTC student and told how they became interested in ROTC. They also did the registration table duties, Posting and Recovery of the colors and the Missing Man Ceremony. The ROTC military style Saber Arch Team was posted at the building entrance.

On the 63rd anniversary of VE Day, the Rawlings Chapter honored MN Women Veterans of WWII with a “Salute to WWII Women Veterans”. The event included a luncheon for 96 WWII women vets (of all services) plus 142 guests and friends. Women Veterans came from all over the state accompanied by family members and guardians. What began as a small attempt to honor these marvelous women for the first time turned into a grand tribute to a deserving group of veterans. The program included a speech by the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs and reading of congratulatory letters from Members of Congress. Each WWII Woman received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Governor and flag with a certificate that was on a Minnesota Air National Guard C-130 flying over the state of Minnesota.

The Rawlings Chapter has also contributed over $500,000 since 1989 to educational activities including the Visions program, in which the chapter currently sponsors 140 classrooms, more than any other AFA chapter. Other programs benefiting include ROTC, JROTC at four high school locations, Veterans Activities, Military Recognition programs, Youth Scholarships, National Eagle Center, Friends of Flying Vikings events, ACE Program, CAP, and others.

Submitted by Jim Simons, North Central Region President

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