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NEWSLINE

April 2012
In This Issue
2012 Awards Nominations
JROTC Instructor Grants
Updated Social Media
Use New Mission Statement
Pamphlet Redesign
The Benefits of Membership
Region Review: New England


AFA National Report 

Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz speaks to the Montgomery Chapter
USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz speaks to the Montgomery Chapter, Ala.  See April's "AFA National Report" in Air Force Magazine--and check out the online edition for many more photos. 

Important Dates

20 April
Region Presidents' Meeting

21 April
AFA Nominating Committee

12 May
Field and Aerospace Education Excellence Awards Nominations Due

28 May
Memorial Day Wreath-Laying
at Air Force Memorial

14 June
Awards Committee Meeting

15 June
Strategic Oversight Council Meeting

25-26 June
Audit Committee Meeting

2012 Nominations for Field and Aerospace Education Excellence Awards

 

It is that time of year again: time to submit nominations for awards.  All chapters are reminded to submit their nominations to National HQ by MAY 11th. Deadlines for your State or Region endorsement may be earlier, so please check with your organization.  Nomination forms are available on the AFA website.  Late nominations will not be accepted. 

 

For more information about awards and how to download forms, click here.

 

Awards criteria are listed here.

 
JROTC Instructor Grants Awarded

On March 2nd, AFA awarded ten educators with Spring 2012 Air Force Junior ROTC Instructor Grants.  The grants, worth up to $250 each, are given in order to promote aerospace education by funding classroom activities and materials. 
AFA's Updated Social Media Presence

 

It's official! AFA, the Air Force Memorial, and CyberPatriot have all adopted the new Facebook "Timeline" format. Look forward to more photos, news, and events on the profile pages.  If you haven't done so already, "friend" us in order to view the latest updates.  Also make sure to follow Air Force Magazine on Twitter.  Follow @airforcemag for aerospace news and more.   

 

To view the new Facebook page, click here. 

 

 
Make Sure to Use New Mission Statement 

AFA recently updated its mission statement, but some items coming back to headquarters still carry the old statement.  Please don't forget to update your literature and mailings with the new statement.  The new statement can be written in one of the two following ways:

"AFA is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association. Our mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force and a strong national defense, and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage. To accomplish this, we:

  • EDUCATE the public on the critical need for unmatched aerospace power and a technically superior workforce to ensure U.S. national security.
  • ADVOCATE for aerospace power and STEM education.
  • SUPPORT the total Air Force family, and promote aerospace education."

OR

  

"Our mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force and a strong national defense, and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage. To accomplish this, we: EDUCATE the public on the critical need for unmatched aerospace power and a technically superior workforce to ensure U.S. national security; ADVOCATE for aerospace power and STEM education; and SUPPORT the total Air Force family, and promote aerospace education.
"What's In It For Me" Pamphlet Redesign

 

Our Membership Committee is taking on the big project of redesigning the "What's In It For Me" pamphlets to make them more enticing to potential members.  Since these materials are designed for use in the Field, we welcome any comments, feedback or suggestions you have for the redesign.  These can be sent to Kari Hahn at [email protected].  The previous versions are available on the AFA website under Field Resources.  Thank you, in advance, for your help in this project!

 

The Benefits of Membership in the Air Force Association

  

Chapters may be interested in running the following article in local papers or simply using it to help explain the many benefits of membership to prospects and the public.  Feel free to use part or all of the text below.

 

Membership in the Air Force Association has many benefits, and is open to anyone, whether you are active duty, retired, or even a civilian who is simply interested in the Air Force and supporting our national defense. The most recognizable benefit of membership, and the reason many of our members joined in the first place, is the included subscription to AFA's monthly publication, Air Force Magazine.

 

But there is so much more to membership than just a magazine subscription. Members have the opportunity to participate in one of our 200+ local chapters. They also receive special member discounts at AFA events, including our annual Air & Space Conference in the fall. For those wanting to keep up to date with the Air Force, we offer daily news updates and access to a wide range of educational, research, and policy publications.

 

Membership also helps support many worthy endeavors. AFA helps ensure our national defense through the support of STEM education in programs like CyberPatriot. We also advocate on behalf of veterans in order to maintain the priority of defense programs and veterans benefits like TRICARE.

 

Finally, membership with AFA makes one eligible for all the benefits offered by the Air Force Association Veteran Benefits Association (AFAVBA). These include discounts ranging from electronics through Apple and Dell to high end tactical gear through GovX.

 

Members are also offered Health Insurance programs such as Dental Insurance, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Cancer Care, Medicare and TRICARE supplements.  AFAVBA also offers a variety of financial services to its members including,  AFA's USAA Rewards World MasterCard, USAA Banking and Investment Services, AFA Bank Checks, and Identity Theft Protection Services.  Also available to members are Medical and Dental Service Discount programs for access to Dental Networks, discounted dental procedures, Prescription discounts, Vision Plan discounts and a Life Line Screening discount.  Travel Loyalty Rewards are also available through Government Vacation Rewards and Veterans Holidays�.  Also, members can join our Medical Air Services programs through MASA� for worldwide emergency assistance.  

 

For a detailed listing of benefits, click here. 

 

 

Region Review: New England Region

 

The New England Region covers the six states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, and encompasses some 4000 members.

The AFA's New England Region is comprised of twelve entities - two state organizations, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and ten chapters, four of which are DRU's to the region.

Many of the ten New England chapters are located near traditional Air Force installations - active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard. In New Hampshire, their single chapter, BG Harrison Thyng #249, provides support to the activities at Space Command's New Boston (NH) AFS, Pease ANGB, and several AFJROTC units. Vermont's Green Mountain Chapter #326 is directly associated with the 158th FW at Burlington ANGB. In Rhode Island, the Metropolitan Chapter has a strong focus on the ANG unit at Quonset Point.

In Massachusetts, the Otis Chapter is built around the 6th Space Warning Squadron at Cape Cod AFS as well as several ANG units on the Massachusetts Military Reservation/Otis ANGB. The Pioneer Valley Chapter is tied to the 439th AW at Westover ARB and also supports the 104th FW at Barnes ANGB. The Paul Revere Chapter, built upon heavy industry support, maintains a close relationship with Hanscom AFB's Electronic Systems Center and the large retiree/veteran community in eastern MA.

Rounding out Massachusetts is the Minuteman Chapter. Its membership and programs are focused on AFROTC, AFJROTC and CAP cadet units in their AOR.

Connecticut consists of two chapters, Flying Yankee/Gen Kenney and Lindbergh-Sikorsky. The Flying Yankee Chapter works closely with the 103rd AW at Bradley ANGB as well as the AFROTC detachment at UCONN. The Chapter enjoys tremendous support from Pratt & Whitney in Hartford. The Lindbergh-Sikorsky Chapter covers the southwestern part of the state.

In terms of chapter size, our smallest is the Newport Blue & Gold Chapter #180 in Rhode Island with about 45 members - the smallest in the CONUS - that makes its home at the Naval War College. Each summer, the incoming Air Force class members in both the junior and senior schools get the Chapter President's invitation to join AFA and affiliate with the chapter for the next year. Many of their regular member programs are aimed at keeping Air Force students focused on the right shade of "blue" during their studies.

 

John Hasson

Past President

New England Region

 

 

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