Day One of AFA's Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition

The 2010 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition kicked off this morning with a warm welcome from Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton A Schwartz to a crowd of more than 1500! Both corporate and AFA-sponsored awards were distributed in our opening ceremony before Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley began his presentation, "Striking a Strategic Balance." His discussion included the challenges associated with an uncertain and fiscally constrained future, describing how the Air Force's ability to succeed in this dynamic future will depend on sgtrategic balance, choice and airmen.

But that's just the beginning. Today, we have a lot of panels and speeches taking place, as well as our ribbing cutting ceremony for the technology exposition at 11:15am, and a book signing with Warren Kozack, author of The Life and Wars of Gen. Curtis LeMay, at 2:00pm.

So check back periodically with the official blog of the Air Force Association to get any updates to this year's conference and expo!

Sunday Memorial Service

Due to expected rain, the AFA Memorial Service will no longer take place at the Air Force Memorial, but instead at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, Room POTOMAC D. The service will be from 8:00AM to 8:30am.

AFA soon to kick off Air and Space Conference and Technololgy Expo!

Be a part of the Air Force Association’s 2010 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition September 13th through 15th, 2010! The event kicks off in two days at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on the Potomac, in National Harbor, just across the river from Alexandria and minutes from downtown Washington, DC.

The Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition is truly a one-of-a-kind event where AFA brings together Air Force leadership, industry experts, academia and current aerospace specialists from around the world to discuss the issues and challenges facing America and the aerospace community today.

Check out the blog and follow our tweets throughout the conference because we'll be keeping it updated!

Here's the schedule:

Monday, September 13, 2010

7:00 AM 8:45 AM Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM 10:30 AM Conference Opening and Award Ceremonies

10:35 AM 11:00 AM State of the Force
Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley

11:15 AM 11:30 AM Technology Exposition Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies

11:30 AM 4:00 PM Technology Exposition Open

11:30 AM 1:00 PM Conference Attendee Lunch

1:00 PM 1:45 PM American Foreign Policy in the Middle East
Dr. Charles Krauthammer

2:00 PM 2:45 PM Military Force Structure for the 21st Century
Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner

2:00 PM 2:45 PM Panel: Nuclear Enterprise
Gen. Roger A. Brady, Maj. Gen. C. Donald Alston, Maj. Gen. Floyd Carpenter Maj. Gen. William Chambers and Brig. Gen. Everett Thomas

2:00 PM 2:45 PM National Reconnaissance Office Update
Gen. Bruce Carlson, USAF Ret.

2:00 PM 2:45 PM The Life and Wars of Gen. Curtis LeMay
Mr. Warren Kozak

2:00 PM 2:45 PM North Korea
Col. William Drennan, USAF Ret.

3:00 PM 3:45 PM Command Chief Master Sergeant Forum
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Roy

3:00 PM 3:45 PM Global Strike Command
Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz

4:00 PM 4:45 PM Air National Guard Update
Lt. Gen. Harry Wyatt

4:00 PM 4:45 PM Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, Triple Ace and Air Force Legend
Ms. Christina Olds

4:00 PM 4:45 PM Anticipating a Change...
Lt. Gen. David Deptula

4:00 PM 4:45 PM Challenges to Nuclear Deterrence
Gen. Kevin P. Chilton

4:00 PM 4;45 PM "Technology Horizons": Building Future Air Force Capabilities
Dr. Werner Dahm

6:00 PM 7:45 PM Outstanding Airmen of the Year Reception in the Exhibit Hall

8:00 PM 10:30 PM Outstanding Airmen of the Year Dinner



Tuesday, September 14, 2010

7:30 AM 8:45 AM Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM 9:45 AM Panel: Defense Industry Initiative on Business Ethics and Conduct
Ms. Angela Styles, Ms. Alice Eldridge, and Mr. Carl Buzawa

9:00 AM 9:45 AM AFSOC - Operations and Future Challenges
Lt. Gen. Donald C. Wurster

9:00 AM 9:45 AM On Leadership
Gen. Willam Looney, USAF Ret.

9:00 AM 9:45 AM Panel: Control Your Energy Costs
Col. Ronald Torgerson, USAF Ret., Mr. Richard Stacey, Mr. Mark Duszynski, and Mr. Enrique Torres and Mr. Lucian Nemeyer

9:00 AM 9:45 AM Panel: Cyber Shockwave
Gen. Michael Hayden USAF Ret. and Gen. Ronald Keys USAF Ret.

10:00 AM 10:45 AM NATO Transformation
Maj. Gen. Jaap Willemse (Royal Netherlands Air Force)

10:00 AM 10:45 AM Europe at the Crossroads
Gen. Roger A. Brady

10:00 AM 4:00 PM Exhibit Hall Open

10:00 AM 10:45 AM Future AETC Challenges
Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz

10:00 AM 10:45 AM Panel: Mitchell Institute on Long Range Strike
Moderator Dr. Rebecca Grant, Lt. Gen. Robert Elder USAF Ret. and Mr. Mark Gunzinger

10:00 AM 10:45 AM A History of Air Warfare
Col. John Andreas Olsen (Norwegian Air Force)

11:00 AM 11:45 AM Air Force Update
USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz

11:45 AM 1:15 PM Conference Attendee Lunch

1:30 PM 2:30 PM National Guard Issues
Gen. Craig R. McKinley

1:30 PM 2:30 PM Panel: The Nukes We Need
Moderator Dr. Rebecca Grant, Dr. Keir Lieber and Dr. Daryl Press

2:45 PM 3:30 PM Panel: Preserving the Industrial Base
Mr. Darryl Davis of Boeing , Mr. Tom Burbage of Lockheed Martin and Mr. Chris Hernandez of Northrop Grumman

2:45 PM 3:30 PM Securing the Internet
Mr. Michael T. Jones

2:45 PM 3:30 PM Gen. Bernard Schreiver: Waging Peace with Ballistic Missiles
Mr. Neil Sheehan

2:45 PM 3:30 PM Meeting a Global Challenge
Gen. Duncan J. McNabb

2:45 PM 3:30 PM China's Changing Role in World Politics
Dr. Cynthia Watson

3:45 PM 4:30 PM Space and Cyberspace
Gen. C. Robert "Bob" Kehler

3:45 PM 4:30 PM AMC...Delivering Hope, Fueling the Fight, Saving Lives
Gen. Raymond E. Johns

3:45 PM 4:30 PM Killing Al Qaeda: Winning the Battle of Ideas
Mr. Chuck de Caro

3:45 PM 4:30 PM The Recent Economic Landscape of the Global Defense Environment: Prospects and Prognoses

Dr. Nayantara Hensel
3:45 PM 4:30 PM Desert Storm 20 Years Later
Gen. Charles Horner, USAF Ret.



Wednesday, September 15, 2010

7:15 AM 8:30 AM Continental Breakfast

8:45 AM 9:30 AM Keynote Address
Adm. Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

9:45 AM 10:30 AM DOD Efficiency: Charting a Course to Savings
Ms. Marion Blakey

9:45 AM 10:30 AM Panel: Women Airforce Service Pilots
Moderator Ms. Amy Goodpaster Strebe with WASP Deanie Bishop Parrish, WASP Elaine Harmon, WASP Bernice Haydu and WASP Lorraine Rodgers

10:00 AM 4:00 PM Exhibit Hall Open

10:45 AM 11:30 AM Berlin Airlift
Mr. Richard Reeves

10:45 AM 11:30 AM The Enlisted Perspective
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Roy

11:30 AM 1:00 PM Conference Attendee Lunch

1:00 PM 1:30 PM Acquisition Process
The Honorable Ashton B. Carter

1:45 PM 2:30 PM Panel: Medal of Honor Recipients
Col. Leo Thorsness, Col. George Day and Col. Joe Jackson

2:45 PM 4:15 PM 4 Star Forum
USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz

6:30 PM 7:45 PM Air Force Anniversary Reception in the Exhibit Hall

8:00 PM 10:30 PM Air Force Anniversary Dinner

For more information (registration, lists of speakers, the expo), click here.

China, Cyber Strategy

AFA Members, Congressional Staff Members, Civic Leaders, DOCA members, three weeks ago, DOD released its Annual Report on Military and Security Developments in the PRC.

I have not read the entire document (about 80 pages long) ... but would encourage you to, at least read the executive summary. http://www.defense.gov/pubs/pdfs/2010_CMPR_Final.pdf

Also, I’d like to point you to a piece one of our staff members found (below my name) ... which lays out the issue more starkly ... and which I commend to you. Note the second paragraph summary of the steps Mr. Haddick says the PRC has taken … as opposed to those taken by the US.

Finally, Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn has penned a very good piece that was published in Foreign Affairs Magazine entitled: “Defending a New Domain”
You can find the piece at: http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/66552/william-j-lynn-iii/defending-a-new-domain

[However, to read the complete piece you have complete a form for a one-time free registration – or get to a copy of the Magazine … perhaps at your local library. For those of you who receive the Early Bird, the piece appeared there on 26 Aug.]

Cyber Defense

September 4, 2010

AFA Members, Congressional Staff Members, Civic Leaders, DOCA members, two weeks ago, I wrote you about AFA’s National High School Cyber Defense Competition (http://www.afa.org/PresidentsCorner/Notes/Notes_8-20-10.pdf) [think Spelling Bee … but for high schoolers … and in the cyber domain]. This is an exciting new undertaking for AFA and is moving very fast. We now have 325 teams from 46 states registered and are adding more every day. [We are missing only Montana, Wyoming, Iowa, and Connecticut.] We also have a team registered in Japan !!

However, we still need your help in getting high schools interested in the competition.

Many have asked us: Which of the high schools near me are registered? We created a web link on the USCyberPatriot.org web site where you can find this data: http://www.uscyberpatriot.org/cppdfs/Team_Reg1Sept2010.pdf We update the link every evening, M-F. Is there a school in your area not on the list? Visit and encourage them to sign up! All the facts and great recruiting tips are on the web site: www.uscyberpatriot.org at the “How AFA Chapters Can Help” link.

Additionally we have a competition video which shows the excitement in this adventure. You can find it at: http://www.youtube.com/user/AirForceAssocHQ#p/a/u/0/Ez_YwtYH7T8

Are you coming to the Air & Space Conference later this month? Be sure to stop by the CyberPatriot exhibit area and watch exciting demos! They will be held Monday, 13 Sep, from 1130-1430; Tuesday, 14 Sep, from 1000-1200 and from 1400-1600; and Wednesday, 15 Sep, from 1000-1200 and from 1400-1600.

For your Consideration.

Mike
Michael M. Dunn
President/CEO
Air Force Association

CFC

September 2, 2010

AFA Members, as many of you know the 2011 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) kicks off today! The Combined Federal Campaign gives all government employees the opportunity to support their favorite non-profit organizations via an easy payroll deduction. As you fill out your forms, I ask that you consider directing your CFC donations to either the Air Force Association or the Air Force Memorial Foundation this year.

AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION (http://www.bestcfc.org/detail.asp?ID=1658) CFC #12214.
AFA works to continue to Educate the public about the critical role of aerospace power in the defense of our nation, Advocate aerospace power and a strong national defense, and Support the United States Air Force, the Air Force family, and aerospace education. I would also note we are the only “full service” professional organization which deals with all issues facing our Air Force and our nation.

AIR FORCE MEMORIAL (http://www.bestcfc.org/detail.asp?ID=771) CFC# 11953. Our Memorial serves as an ongoing tribute to the service and sacrifices of all Airmen, past and present, while honoring the heritage of the United States Air Force and its predecessor organizations.

If you aren’t a current government employee and don’t participate in the Combined Federal Campaign , you can always make a donation to the Air Force Association (https://www.afa.org/afa_donation_form/default.asp?pm=show_form&dm=g) or the Air Force Memorial (http://www.airforcememorial.org/donate/index.asp) online, or by calling us at 1-800-727-3337.

Thanks in advance,
Mike
Michael M. Dunn
President/CEO
Air Force Association

Air Diplomacy

September 2, 2010

Here's a report from Strategic Studies Quarterly that's worth your time. It's entitled Air Diplomacy: Protecting American National Interests by Adam P. Lowther.