AFA Hosts Former CSAF Fogleman  

ARLINGTON, VA.—Former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman headlined Veterans Day remembrances for the Air & Space Forces Association, reflecting on the service and sacrifices of the Airmen of World War II.  

“A Veterans Day ceremony is something in which we remember all of our veterans, of all our wars,” he said. “But for those of us who spent our life in the Air Force, it’s a special time to think back on the sacrifices that were made… by the ‘Greatest Generation.’”  

Veterans of the Army Air Forces who fought in Europe bore the bulk of the burden of that war from the time the U.S. joined at the end of December 1941 until the D-Day invasion of France in June 1944, he said, and in that theater alone had more Airman killed in action than the U.S. Marine Corps have over their entire existence as a military service since being founded on 10 November 1775.  

The Air Force’s 15th Chief of Staff, Fogleman, after visiting with the Mitchell Institute, addressed AFA staff and members of AFA’s Board of Directors took questions for nearly an hour at the Association’s new Operations Center in Pentagon Row.  

When asked about how he came to select and define the Air Force’s Core Values, a lasting contribution instituted during his tenure as Chief, he explained his choices.  

“Excellence, integrity, and service before self: They really struck me in a special way,” he said. “The one I really tried to emphasize over the years is the service before self. … It’s what binds units together.”  

Integrity fosters public trust, excellence reflects the precision required to use complex weaponry and service before self-embodies the unique commitment expected of military professionals, he said.  

Military service is “a special profession,” he said. “What makes it special? We raise our hand, and we take the oath. Implicit in that oath, but not stated, is an unlimited liability clause. … if I am called to lay down my life for my family, my friends, my freedoms, my country, I will do so.”  

While other professions require commitments in time, attention, detail, and focus, very few carry with them such a demanding “unlimited liability” risk. That commitment is why AFA plays such an important role on behalf of the Air Force & Space Force. While it was the sacrifice of World War II Airmen that drove the creation of an independent U.S. Air Force, he said, AFA’s advocacy has only grown more important over time.   

“As … that greatest generation goes away, it takes more impetus and more drive to reach out to people and keep them interested in what it is that air power can bring to the fight,” said Fogleman.  

AFA Board Member Senior Master Sgt. Bobi Oates, USAF (Ret.) joined the AFA staff for Fogleman’s talk and was singled out for recognition by AFA President & CEO Lt. Gen. Burt Field, USAF (Ret.).  

Field shared a video profile of Oates from KTNV, the ABC-TV affiliate in Las Vegas, which honored her work with the local AFA Thunderbird Chapter and other Nevada veterans organizations, which earned her the distinction of being named a “Vegas Stronger Champion” this month. In the video, Oates was awarded a check for $599 to further her work.  

“This will help take care of a lot of families over the holidays,” she said. “It’s all about taking care of our family—our Airmen and our Guardians.”