31 Air and Space Force Recruits Take Oath of Enlistment at AFA

AFA’s D.W. Steele Sr. Chapter co-hosted an enlistment ceremony for 31 Air Force and Space Force recruits at AFA’s national headquarters in Arlington, Va. on July 11, 2025. The event was planned and executed along with the 317th Recruiting Squadron.

The ceremony featured distinguished leaders from across the services, including Deputy Chief of Space Operations Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt, who administered the oath of enlistment. Chief Master Sgt. Caleb Lloyd, currently serving in the office of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, delivered a powerful keynote address that included a reminder from President Ronald Reagan: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”

“You’re going to be told what to do and when to do it,” AFA President & CEO Lt. Gen. Burt Field, USAF (Ret.) told the recruits to help them prepare for Basic Military Training. “Take it in stride and stay focused. You’ve got this.” 

Field also recognized the more than 80 family members and mentors who were attending the ceremony to support their future Airmen and Guardians.

The Steele Chapter also presented each enlistee with an AFA challenge coin and a pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution—the document they had just sworn to protect and defend.

The enlistment ceremony represented a significant milestone for the AFA Advocates to Inspire Military Service (AFA AIMS) initiative, which launched in 2024 to help the U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service meet its goals through AFA’s volunteer member base.

“We are extremely proud of the partnership we have forged with the 317th Recruiting Squadron,” said Bob Hill, Steele Chapter AIMS Chair. “This event provides a model for other AFA chapters and recruiting squadrons who want to bring AIMS to life in their communities.”