Region Review: The Midwest Region
Belated Seasons Greetings and a Happy New Year from all the AFA members of the Midwest Region. Hopefully you had a most wonderful Holiday Season and New Year. For those of you not familiar with the Midwest Region, we are made up of the five states of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. At last count, we have 15 chapters with an active membership of over 6200 members. As with most AFA chapters, we continue to show a decline in membership.
Here in the Heartland of America we are not blessed with many permanent Air Force bases. We do, however, have National Guard installations, which yield good members and meeting sites for programs. But even more importantly, the 6200 members of our AFA provide excellent results in their efforts to reinforce the mission of our Air Force Association.
Strong organizations do exist at Scott AFB and Offutt AFB. Visions programs at both are large in numbers and effectiveness. Their scholarship programs are models for all chapters to emulate. The AFA chapters can grow stronger if they work with other veteran organizations to achieve a goal.
The Midwest Region held their annual conference in Omaha, Nebraska. It was a single day event with Justin Fairferlick, our own Vice Chairman of the Board, Field Operations, and Marv Tooman, National Director in attendance.
Discussions were held on the results of Board actions on the 3 resolutions presented by the Midwest Region; all primarily dealing with changes recommended in the voting at National Conventions. All the resolutions were recommended to be disapproved and they were rejected by vote at the National Convention. A discussion was held on the results of the committee study to look at the possibility of decoupling the AFA National Convention from the Air & Space Conference. Michael Cook served on this committee and provided the preliminary results that were briefed at the National Convention. During this Midwest Regional Conference, AFA National Awards were announced and its award is indicative of the outstanding work, dedication and volunteerism of not just the award winners but also all the AFA members of the Midwest Region.
AFA National honored the Region with the following awards
Exceptional Service Award: John Daly, NE Ron Major, IA Robert Tovado, NE
Medal of Merit:
Luke Ascherl, IA
Outstanding Small Chapter of the Year: Fort Dodge Chapter
Aerospace Education Excellence Award-Small Chapter:
Fort Dodge, IA - President Luke Ascherl
Medium Chapter:
Lincoln, NE - President Mary McGahan
Gross Membership Award:
Fort Dodge Chapter
Storz Membership Award:
Fort Dodge Chapter
Community Partner Gold Award:
Fort Dodge Chapter
Sustained Performance Award:
Fort Dodge Chapter
Community Partner Achievement Awards:
Chapter - Richard D. Kisling Chapter - President Kenneth Watkins
Our own Justin Faiferlick was elected at the National Convention as the Vice Chairman for Field Operations.In closing I would like to submit a quote from our own Chapter 264 Newsletter -
"The success of this Association has to be attributed to you - the volunteers and members - through the time and effort you put into carrying out the many initiatives AFA continues to push. Working together we will help improve the quality of life of our nation's Airmen and ensure that our Air Force is ready to meet the multiple challenges of the future. "
Submitted by Michael J.Cook, Midwest Region President
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