Coalitions, Partnerships Advance AFA Mission at Texoma Regional Conference

Air & Space Forces Association Chapters from the Texoma Region convened in Oklahoma City the last weekend in July for a jam-packed agenda, hosting new AFA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Burt Field, USAF (Ret.) and Vice Chairman of the Board for Field Operations, Chris Canada. It was Field’s first official in-person visit to a Region.   

The Texoma Regional Conference included a hosted suite at a Triple A Baseball Game in Bricktown, golf, a meet-and-greet for AFA leadership with Tinker Air Force Base and 507th Air Refueling Wing leaders, a full day of informational sessions, a reception for Field with Community Partners and key members of the Oklahoma aerospace community, and a closing banquet with guest speaker Col. Ken Voigt, 552nd Air Control Wing Commander.  

Topics covered during the Saturday business session included: 

• An update by Committee Chair John Campbell on the Advocates to Inspire Military Service (AIMS) program 
• An Advocacy Update by Committee Chair Paul Hendricks 
• A National Update by Burt Field 
• A presentation on Rebuilding Chapters and the Field by Area Director Janelle Stafford 
• A Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies presentation on the Current Threat by Mitchell Institute Dean Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula, USAF (Ret.) 
• A United Forces and Families (F2) update by Stafford 
• An Alternate Chapter Structures briefing by Michigan State President Doug “Odie” Slocum 
• A Field Report by VCOB-FO Chris Canada 

“What made this event so successful was the mix of attendees who actively participated, in addition to our chapter members from Oklahoma and Texas, such as Arnold Air Society cadets from University of Oklahoma Det. 625, members of the Air Force Recruiting Service, and an Active-duty ambassador from Tinker Air Force Gaming, a recipient of an F2 grant,” Texoma Region President Dan “Ohno” Ohnesorge, said. 

“Attendance by leadership representatives from Tinker AFB, the Air National Guard, Air Force Recruiting Service, state governmental officials, community partners, and representatives from the aerospace community, such as the Oklahoma Defense Industry Association, reinforces how critical coalitions and partnerships are in our efforts to advance the AFA mission,” Ohnesorge added. 

Gerrity Chapter President Walt Kula said, “Some of the best moments during our weekend were seeing those ‘lightbulb’ moments by attendees and watching the interactions between our younger and older members.”