CCAF Thanks AFA
At Maxwell AFB, Ala., in March, the Community College of the Air Force presented Air Force Association Chairman of the Board Robert E. “Bob” Largent and AFA’s Vice Chairman of Aerospace Education L. Boyd Anderson with the bronze bust of a USAF hero.

The sculpture depicts A1C William H. Pitsenbarger, wearing the Medal of Honor that he received posthumously for his actions as a pararescue jumper during the Vietnam War. (See “Pitsenbarger, Medal of Honor,” February 2001, p. 26.)

The artwork’s presentation ceremony included former AFA National Director Roy A. Boudreaux. It took place during a banquet that was part of the CCAF’s 35th anniversary celebration at its Maxwell headquarters. Boudreaux, of the Jerry Waterman Chapter (Fla.), had been Pitsenbarger’s cubicle-mate at Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam, just before the PJ embarked on his last mission in 1966.

A bronze plaque on the bust’s pedestal explains that the CCAF gave the gift to AFA as thanks for “35 years of scholastic and fi nancial support”—advocacy that “goes back before there was even a Community College of the Air Force,” Anderson pointed out.

In 1967, AFA—through what was then the Aerospace Education Foundation—and Utah state AFA led the way in putting Air Force training courses into civilian classrooms. Utah was the test ground for this project because of its need to develop an educated workforce for its Air Force facilities. The first courses covered aircraft mechanics, electronic principles, and nurse’s aides. The project proved that students learned more and—along with their teachers—preferred USAF-developed books, manuals, movies, slides, and teaching aids.

This successful conversion of educational material from the military to the civilian classroom led to the idea of granting credits for Air Force courses. This in turn prompted Air Education and Training Command’s predecessor organization to establish the CCAF. By this spring, CCAF had issued nearly 300,000 degrees.

AFA has granted more than $1.5 million in scholarships—called Pitsenbarger Awards—to top CCAF graduates. The awards help enlisted personnel go on to earn bachelor’s degrees.

The bronze bust of Pitsenbarger will be unveiled for the association membership at the September AFA National Convention and will be displayed at AFA’s headquarters building in Arlington, Va.

The Montgomery Chapter (Ala.), headed by Thomas W. Gwaltney, and Joe Panza, Air University Foundation executive director, helped raise funds for the CCAF anniversary celebration. Panza said an “overwhelming response from the rescue community and others” also allowed them to purchase a copy of the bust for display at the CCAF.

AFA Board Chairman Largent’s visit made front-page news in Desert Airman, the newspaper for Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. He shared billing with coverage of the annual air show that brings thousands of visitors to the base and which is supported by the Tucson Chapter.

Largent spent two days learning about the operations of Davis-Monthan’s units. “From the youngest airman to senior leadership in Tucson, the degree of dedication, professionalism, and knowledge of why they serve is outstanding,” he told the newspaper.

At Davis-Monthan, he met with Lt. Gen. Norman R. Seip, 12th Air Force commander, and received orientations to several units at the base, home of the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center. Largent came away from his visit to the base awed by the “very high ops tempo for A-10s, rescue guys, and the electronic combat group.” As one example, he noted that the 55th Electronic Combat Group, equipped with the EC-130H for airborne communications jamming and information warfare, is a unique asset and has been constantly deployed for more than four years.

Largent’s speaking engagements included an evening banquet for community leaders and a talk at the Airman Leadership School. He also attended the Aerospace & Arizona Days air show, where the Tucson Chapter helped with planning, execution, and support. Among the chapter’s responsibilities: Hosting the welcome party for the air show’s many performers and providing them with breakfast every day. The chapter, headed by President Karen Halstead and VP John M. Manna, carried out these tasks with the help of volunteer airmen.

Best in The Nation’s Capital
In April, the Donald W. Steele Sr. Memorial Chapter (Va.) selected three enlisted personnel as “Best of the Best” in the National Capital Region.

SMSgt. Donald Senger from Hq. Air Force, Media Services Division; MSgt. Terry Durbin from the 79th Medical Wing, Andrews AFB, Md.; and SrA. Stepheny Fanning, from 11th Wing, Bolling AFB, D.C., received the top three awards in a ceremony at the chapter’s annual Outstanding Enlisted Breakfast.

TSgt. Daniel Claffey, from the 1st Helicopter Squadron at Andrews, received the Moorman Scholarship at the breakfast, also. The $2,000 award is named for retired Gen. Thomas S. Moorman Jr., USAF vice chief of staff, 1994-97.

Maj. Gen. Robert L. Smolen, commander of Air Force District Washington, CMSgt. Lewis E. Monroe III, the AFDW command chief, Chapter President Peter M. Gavares, and Lt. Col. Michelle Ryan made the awards presentations.

Smolen delivered the keynote address at the gathering, speaking about the quality and motivation of enlisted personnel and how they exemplify the Air Force’s core values. Smolen noted that more than 72 percent of the bachelor’s degrees awarded to enlisted military personnel go to Air Force airmen.

More than 150 guests attended this 19th annual breakfast, held in Arlington, Va. George deFilippi, chapter aerospace education VP, said 11 organizations sponsored tables at the breakfast. Chapter VP Nick Abate, Cristina Rodriguez, and Gail Wojtowicz headed the planning team for the event.

Longer “Boot Camp”
At its annual midwinter program, an Air Force recruiter gave the Richard D. Kisling Chapter (Iowa) an update on recruiting in his area, which touches eight Midwestern states.

CMSgt. Dana Wyman, 343rd Recruiting Squadron superintendent, told the audience that his squadron, headquartered at Offutt AFB, Neb., ranked No. 2—among 28 units nationwide—in recruiting for enlisted programs last year.

Wyman also presented information about developments in Air Force basic military training—or “boot camp,” as Donald E. Persinger, the chapter’s membership VP, calls it. Wyman told the chapter that BMT will be extended from six to eight-and-a-half weeks. He also said basic training is “becoming more geared toward training for supporting combat needs.”

Wyman’s squadron covers a 260,000 square mile area. This includes all of Iowa and South Dakota and parts of Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

“A” Is for AFA
Col. H.M. “Bud” West Chapter leaders were at the head of the line for opening day—the March 6 first-day-of-business for the 2007 Florida state legislature. There were flowers on the desks of lawmakers, all of whom wore either red or black attire. There was a color guard for the opening ceremonies and TV cameras. Two dozen representatives from veterans organizations marched into the chamber, with an announcer stating their names and affiliations.

Representing AFA were Bud West Chapter President John E. Schmidt Jr. and Government Relations VP Lisa M. Raleigh. Schmidt has been a part of this opening day pageantry for more than a decade, often standing in for the Florida state president, since the Bud West Chapter is based in Tallahassee, the state capital.

Schmidt modestly noted that he owes his fi rst-in-line status to the fact that the military groups march into the chamber in alphabetical order.

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