Air Force Association

The Air Force Association (AFA) is an independent, nonprofit, civilian organization promoting public understanding of aerospace power, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It publishes the monthly "Air Force Magazine" promoting aerospace power and the interests of the United States Air Force.

History

The genesis for the Air Force Association occurred in August 1945 when Chief of the Army Air Forces General Henry H. Arnold asked an executive of Eastman Kodak, Edward Curtis, to create an organization among veterans returning from World War II to promote airpower and the cause of a separate Air Force. Curtis held an organizing meeting in New York City on October 12, 1945, for a nonprofit organization to meet Arnold's goals. In addition to Curtis, the founders of AFA in attendance were John Allard, Everett Cook, James H. Doolittle, Deering Howe, Rufus Rand, Sol Rosenblatt, Julian Rosenthal, James M. Stewart, Lowell P. Weicker (Senior), Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, and John Hay Whitney.

The establishment of AFA was made public by Doolittle in January 1946, who explained that it would be based on a "grass-roots structure", with affiliates on local, state, and regional levels, would publish a national magazine, and would provide sponsorship for educational programs about the development of airpower.

The Association incorporated in the District of Columbia on February 4, 1946, and its first national president was Doolittle, an aviation pioneer and recipient of the Medal of Honor. In July, "Air Force" Magazine, then the official service journal of the Army Air Forces, became AFA's official journal at Arnold's behest. The next month a nationwide radio broadcast in observance of "Air Force Day" on August 1, 1946, was organized by AFA and featured charter members Stewart, Jack L. Warner, and Ronald Reagan. In 1948 Doolittle took a year's leave of absence from Shell Oil, where he was a vice president, to establish AFA chapters nationwide. cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.afa.org/magazine/feb1996/50yearsAFA.pdf | title = 50 Years of AFA| format = | work = | publisher = Air Force Association| accessdate = 19 Jan | accessyear = 2007 All of the organizational history was derived from this source.]

Advocacy

In addition to its lobbying mission on behalf of the Air Force, its mission, members, and their benefits, AFA holds several symposia annually on current issues affecting aerospace power. The organization has also been an advocate in several prominent controversies, including the Revolt of the Admirals, the display of the B-29 bomber "Enola Gay" at the National Air and Space Museum, cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.afa.org/media/enolagay/| title = Enola Gay Archive| format = | work = | publisher = "AIR FORCE Magazine"| accessdate = 19 Jan | accessyear = 2007] the creation of the United States Air Force Memorial, cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = https://www.afa.org/magazine/May1998/0598afmemorial_print.html| title = Battle of Arlington Ridge| format = | work = | publisher = "AIR FORCE Magazine" May 1998| accessdate = 19 Jan | accessyear = 2007] and the reinstatement of the promotion to major general of Terryl J. Schwalier, commander of the 4404th Wing (Provisional) at the time of the bombing of the Khobar Towers. cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.afa.org/magazine/feb2008/0208edit.asp| title =Vindication + Vengeance | format = | work = | publisher = "AIR FORCE Magazine" February 2008| accessdate = 6 Feb| accessyear = 2008 Then-Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen held Schwalier negligent regarding security at Khobar Towers and blocked a previously-approved promotion, forcing Schwalier to retire.]

The positions held by AFA were, for the most part, sustained. While the location of the Air Force Memorial was moved off of Arlington Ridge, the controversial "Enola Gay" display was revised, and Gen. Schwalier was vindicated (with his promotion reinstated retroactive to January 1, 1997) by the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records, affirmed by the Secretary of the Air Force on December 21, 2007. AFA also successfully lobbied, in cooperation with Frederick C. Bock, for award of a group decoration for the 509th Composite Group. This unit had officially gone unrecognized for its efforts in ending World War II, and as a result of this campaign was awarded an Outstanding Unit Award with Valor by the Secretary of the Air Force on September 2, 1999.

Membership

As of June 30, 2007, AFA has a membership of 125,076 of whom 35% (43,256) are life members (permanent membership), organized into 226 local chapters in 49 states (Maine is the only state without a chapter), the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Japan, Okinawa, and the Republic of Korea. AFA membership in 2007 included 15% on active duty military and 67% retired or former military.

In 1995 the demographics of membership were 24% life members (39,286 actual), 28% active duty, and 55% retired-former against a total membership of 170,881. Membership trends indicate that with the downsizing of the Air Force since 1991 (by approximately one-third), cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.afa.org/magazine/may2006/0506structure.pdf| title = 2006 USAF Almanac: USAF Personnel Strength| format = | work = | publisher = "AIR FORCE Magazine"| accessdate = 20 Jan | accessyear = 2007] life membership has grown by 10% in actual membership totals while retired-former memberships have gone down by a slightly smaller percentage, but that active duty membership has been cut by more than half. Peak AFA membership was 237,722 in 1986, while life membership peaked at 43,389 in 2002. cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.afa.org/magazine/Sept2007/0907AFAAlm.pdf| title = AFA Almanac| format = | work = | publisher = Air Force Association| accessdate = 6 Feb | accessyear = 2008]

AFA mission statement

"To educate the public about the critical role of aerospace power in the defense of our nation.

"To advocate aerospace power and a strong national defense.

"To support the United States Air Force and the Air Force family."

2008 AFA national officers

* Board Chairman Robert E. Largent
* President-CEO Michael M. Dunn
* Vice Chairman, Field Operations Joseph E. Sutter
* Vice Chairman, Aerospace Education L. Boyd Anderson
* National Secretary Judy K. Church
* National Treasurer Steven R. Lundgren

References

External links

* [http://www.afa.org/ Air Force Association]
* [http://www.afa.org/magazine/feb1996/50yearsAFA.pdf "50 Years of AFA", "AIR FORCE Magazine" February 1996]
* [http://alamoafa.org Alamo Chapter, San Antonio, Texas (Largest AFA Chapter)]