Field Spotlight: Claude Farinha Gold Rush Chapter

The Claude Farinha Gold Rush Chapter, located in Sacramento, California, has been hard at work promoting the mission of AFA within their local community. Through education, scholarships, grants, awards, and public awareness programs, this chapter continues to set an example of how to engage their community and support the Total Air Force Family. Recently, the chapter hosted their annual Wings of Hope Golf Classic tournament at the Sierra View Country Club to raise money for their scholarship and military family support programs. Congratulations to all participants for giving back and supporting the efforts of the Claude Farinha Gold Rush Chapter! All photos below were taken by Duncan Waldrop.

More photos from the event can be found by visiting:http://www.duncan-jan.com/Events/Air-Force-Association-2013/30289682_hJLGLP#!i=2607532877&k=v2fdNvv

The chapter also hosted their annual AFA Scholarship banquet in April. Photos of the recipients can be found at: http://s184.photobucket.com/user/amorello5401/library/Facebook/Claude%20Farinha%20AFA%20Scholarship%20Banquet?sort=4&page=1

Air Force Association Launches New Website

The Air Force Association (AFA) proudly announces the launch of their new website www.afa.org. The website has undergone a total redesign to better provide a more user-friendly and interactive experience for AFA members, field leaders, educators, corporate partners, and the media.

The new site includes sections that highlight upcoming events such as the Annual Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition, AFA publications, scholarships and educator grants, corporate partners, and the media room.

Additionally, the site provides easier access to a fully revamped resource area for AFA members and field leaders. In this section, AFA members will be able to locate chapters, find contact lists, access meeting materials, and catch up on newsletters in the archives.

“We are aiming to make AFA.org a more useful destination for all,” said Craig McKinley, AFA President. “Our new website will better help us achieve our mission to educate, advocate, and support on behalf of the Total Force Family. We want to clearly emphasize all of the programs we have here at AFA and the ways people can get involved to join us in supporting our Airmen and their families.”

The website redesign also features a new donation section that showcases various donation programs and the importance of supporting AFA through financial gifts.

For additional information or to provide feedback on the new site, contact Caity Rogowski at crogowski@afa.org.

AFA Celebrates Independence Day

On July 4, 1776, we claimed our independence from Britain and Democracy was born. Today we celebrate the 237th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the beginning of the history of the United States of America.

Each year across the country we celebrate the bravery of the patriots who established our freedom. Independence Day is a time to reflect on the journey we have taken as a united nation to preserve this freedom and the vision of our Founders.

AFA remembers the first generation of heroes who defined the American Dream, and pays tribute to those that followed who have fought, served, and sacrificed in the name of liberty. We give thanks to all of the members of our Armed Forces and ask that you remember the many military men and women who continue to ensure our safety at home and abroad.

On this day we are called upon as Americans to fulfill our patriotic duty of perseverance in the face of challenges. May this holiday continue to serve as a reminder of the great achievements our nation has made and the hardships we have overcome in protection of our independence.

We at AFA wish everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Photo by Chuck Fazio, July 4, 2012 - Air Force Memorial.

CyberPatriot Launches Middle School Program in Los Angeles

AFA’s CyberPatriot program – The National High School Cyber Defense Competition – completed the lead pilot for its upcoming Middle School Program last week at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders from six middle schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) got the opportunity to learn about cyber safety, basic cybersecurity, and system administration in advance of the full Middle School Program rollout in 2014.

The all-day event began with remarks from representatives of LAUSD - one of four CyberPatriot Centers of Excellence (COE) – and Cal. Poly, Pomona, as well as Gen. Bernie Skoch, Commissioner, CyberPatriot. The students then dove into the first module of the program, as members of the CyberPatriot Program Office taught them how to stay safe online and identify malicious scams. The presentation was interspersed with activities in which teams of students identified phishing email attempts and constructed secure social media pages.

The morning finished out with a second module on basic cybersecurity tips. Topics ranged from cyber hygiene – simple things like locking computers and keeping passwords secret – to a primer on malware to instruction on how to build a strong password. This portion of the presentation also contained an interactive element, as teams were tasked with examining mock workstations for potential vulnerabilities and offering solutions to those problems.

The students then ate a quick, well-deserved lunch while watching an LAUSD-created video about the COE’s past CyberPatriot success. With full stomachs, the students jumped into the most exciting part of the day – an introduction to Windows system administration. The techniques they learned were many of the same ones used in the CyberPatriot High School Competition. In fact, the LAUSD middle school students got the chance to see what CyberPatriot competition is like by fixing vulnerabilities in a brief Windows 7 competition image of their own.

All of the students performed remarkably well during this competition, with top honors and prizes going to a team of five from Pio Pico Middle School. Second and third place went to students from Maclay and Mann Middle Schools respectively.

Overall, the lead pilot for the CyberPatriot Middle School Program was a great success. CyberPatriot plans to extend the pilot program to other CyberPatriot Centers of Excellence this fall, with a full rollout across the country in 2014. For more information, contact the CyberPatriot Program Office at 703-247-5806 or by email at info@uscyberpatriot.org.

Air & Space Technology Exposition Offers Industry Engagement

Register today to attend the 2013 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition. The conference is THE event that brings together Air Force leadership, industry experts, academia and current event specialists, from around the world to discuss the issues and challenges facing America and the aerospace community today.

 

Official Air Force Participation has been approved; please see the full statement at the bottom of the email. All military members on Active Duty and DoD civilian personnel can attend the conference free of charge, and the exhibit hall is free and open to everyone.

 

 

Date & Location

September 16-18, 2013

Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center

National Harbor, MD

 

Exhibit Floor Highlights Include:

• Exhibitors from around the globe in our 50,000 sq. ft. of space that will showcase the latest technology in air, space, and cyberspace.
• More than 60 exhibitors including: Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, EADS North America, Cubic, and Pratt & Whitney and many more.
• A Speakers Corner will also be offered on the Technology Exposition floor. Speakers will include industry representatives and Air Force officials. If your company would like to submit a proposal to speak please do so here.
• The full list of exhibitors can be found here.

Register now by visiting: http://olereg.com/afa/Conf2013RegHome.aspx

 

Conference Approval Statement

"Official Air Force participation in the Air Force Association's Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition 2013, National Harbor, Maryland, has been approved IAW the most recent AF Sequester Guidance and the 12 Dec 12 Conference Policy Guidance.

 

Centralized TDY funding will be made available for winners of a limited number of awards and appointed council members. POC for centralized funding is Mr. Doug Benskin, SAF/AARA, Comm 703-695-3254, DSN 225-3254. Travel orders (using centralized funding) must be entered into DTS NLT 31 Aug 2013. Invited speakers and other individual attendees may participate in a funded TDY status only if local funding is determined to be available and appropriate; local travel approval authorities must determine whether individual participation at AF expense is mission critical IAW AF Sequestration Guidance.

 

For general questions about AF funded participation, call Lt Col Heather Meyer, SAF/AA, Comm 703-693-9503, DSN 223-9503."

USAF Band and Singing Sergeants to Perform at Air Force Memorial for Independence Day

The Air Force Memorial will host The United States Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants on Thursday, July 4, 2013 for an Independence Day Concert from 8:00p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Following the concert, attendees will have a premiere view of the Washington, D.C. fireworks courtesy of the Capitol 4th Celebration. The concert is free and open to the public.

Currently, the Air Force Memorial has a challenging parking situation due to the demolition of the Navy Annex buildings and parking lot. However, a parking and shuttle plan has been developed to accommodate event visitors. There is limited handicap parking at the Memorial. Additionally, the Pentagon Metro and Pentagon City Metro stops are within one mile walking distance to the Memorial.

Parking options are available in the Pentagon Overflow Parking Lot at Hayes Street, street parking along Southgate Road, and at the Sheraton Pentagon City garage for $10. Royal Trolley Tours and Signature Tours will also provide a free trolley transportation service from four locations: the Pentagon City Metro, the corner of Army-Navy Drive at the South Joyce Street ART Bus stop 42/87, the Southgate Road parking area, and on the corner of Ord and Columbia Pike near the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel. For more information on event parking and shuttle transportation please the Air Force Memorial website.

The Memorial is free and open to the public every day of the year except Christmas Day. The hours are: April 1st - September 30th: 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. and October 1st - March 31st: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information please call or e-mail the Air Force Memorial Office at 703.979.0674 or afmf@airforcememorial.org.  

AFA Supports First Air Force Wounded Warrior Adaptive Sports Camp at Joint Base Andrews

The Air Force Wounded Warrior Program hosted its first ever Adaptive Sports Camp for the east coast at Joint Base Andrews this past week. More than 30 Airmen participated in the two-day camp, which offered activities such as wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, archery, swimming, and track and field. This will be an annual camp, along with others held on the west coast and in the central region leading up to selection and training for the Warrior Games.

Airmen participating in the wheelchair basketball practice began with stretching and basic familiarity with the wheelchairs, which are designed specifically for this sport. Coach Bill Demby took participants through a series of drills that taught them the proper way to push the wheels, start, stop, spin, and weave through cones. Once they were comfortable with those skills, they moved on to passing and shooting drills, which elicited round after round of cheers and applause from everyone on the court.

Wounded Warriors learn to play wheelchair basketball during an Air Force Wounded Warrior Adaptive Sports Training Camp June 26, 2013, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)

Many of the Airmen at the camp at Andrews were participating in the Air Force Wounded Warrior program for the very first time. For some of them, this was the first time out of their house, on a plane, or even being away from their families and spouses since being enrolled in the program.

One of the goals of the program is to get the Warriors to overcome little hurdles of everyday life so they can reintegrate back in to a daily routine. The program also uses these sports camps to get Airmen to bond with their fellow Warriors who are facing similar challenges. They understand what the others are going through, and they can provide a network of support for each other as they continue through the process of recovery.

USAF athletes who won medals at the 2013 Wounded Warrior Games this past May were also present to serve as mentors and coaches. Eligible Wounded Warriors are welcome to participate in the selection camp in January 2014. If selected, they will participate in a training camp in March, and then in the 2014 Wounded Warrior Games in May. The selection and training camps as well as the Games are all held in Colorado Springs, Co.

The Adaptive Sports Camps came to the Air Force Wounded Warrior program in December of 2012 from Headquarter Services. This transfer integrated the program directly with its intended population: Wounded Airmen. Program staff look forward to working with thousands of warriors as they learn more about the program and how it can be a part of their healing process.

The AFW2 looks forward to expanding their Adaptive Sports Camps across the country. After Airmen participate in the camps, they return to their homebases and can continue their training with the help of Recovery Care Coordinators, Paralympic staff, and similar programs with other branches. An upcoming training camp in Hawaii will be a joint effort hosted with the Navy.

AFA is proud to form a partnership with the Air Force Wounded Warrior Adaptive Sports Program, and we look forward to supporting our Airmen Athletes as they continue to use sports and teamwork as a part of their recovery.