AFA Funds Cadets During Their Summer Internships at Pentagon

Eighteen cadets from Arnold Air Society-Silver Wings (AAS-SW) are receiving financial stipends and professional support from AFA during their summer internships at the Pentagon. In addition to the monetary grants awarded by AFA National, this year’s stipends were bolstered by contributions from the Virginia-state AFA organization and two Northern Virginia AFA Chapters (the D.W. Steele Chapter and the Gabriel Chapter). 

Virginia AFA and the two Virginia Chapters hosted the cadet interns at AFA’s national headquarters in Pentagon City on June 25, the Virginia AFA, for an evening of fellowship and professional engagement. AFA’s President & CEO Lt. Gen. Burt Field, USAF (Ret.) and Virginia AFA President Mike Maxwell met with the interns and encouraged them to make the most of their stints in the Pentagon.

“Watch how people advocate for their ideas,” Field told them, “and learn to prioritize.  There will always be more work than time.”

Now in its 11th year, the AAS-SW Woodward Pentagon Internship program has sponsored more than 130 cadets from across the country, offering them a unique opportunity to work at the highest levels of the Department of the Air Force. This summer, 18 interns are working in offices including HAF A2/6, A3, A8, and JA, SAF AQ, CN, FM, IA, IE, LL, MR, PA, and SQ, and the U.S. Space Force. The eight-week internship provides strategic-level exposure to Air and Space Force missions, decision-making, and policy formulation.

 “We could not execute the program without the strong partnership with the AFA,” said Arnold Air Society’s National Director, Brig. Gen. Jimmy Canlas, USAF (Ret.). “We are grateful for their commitment to invest into our future Air and Space leaders.”