AFA Leaders Represent at the Spaatz Association Awards Gala

AFA leaders represented the Association at the sold-out Spaatz Association Awards Gala on March 2, 2024, at the Gateway Crystal Marriott in Arlington, Va. AFA’s Executive Vice President Maj. Gen. Doug Raaberg, USAF (Ret.); AFA Emeritus Board member Jim Hannam; and State President of AFA New Jersey Col. Joe Abegg, among others, attended the historic event.

The Spaatz Association is comprised of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) members who earned the Spaatz Award when they were cadets and provides academic, leadership, and flying scholarships to dynamic young men and women to help create the future aerospace leaders of tomorrow. It is their way to give back and to pay forward.

The Spaatz Award recognizes Gen. Carl Spaatz, the first Air Force Chief of Staff. It is the highest award a CAP cadet can earn. Only 2,500 cadets have earned the Spaatz Award since its inception 60 years ago. Less than 0.5% of CAP cadets earn the award. By some estimates it is 10 times rarer than the Eagle Scout award.

Gen. David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, delivered the keynote speech at the gala. Allvin spoke of the portrait of Gen. Spaatz that hangs just outside of his own office in the Pentagon, a picture that humbles and reminds him of his responsibilities and challenges every day.