This is a link to the Defender Archive

The 2009 Air Education and Training Command Symposium, AFA Exhibition, and combined Ball drew over 3,000 participants to the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center January 15-16, 2009. This was the largest Symposium and Expo yet, with 70 seminars in six tracks, over 100 booths, nine major sponsors, representing the wide missions and people of Air Education and Training Command.

To see Pictures of the events Click Here.

The Air Force Association is especially grateful to the Exhibition Title Sponsor, L-3 Communications, the Gold Sponsors: Accenture, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Silver Sponsors: Pratt and Whitney Canada and USAA, and Bronze Sponsors Alenia North America and Hawker Beechcraft.

Calendar of Events

• Kellogg/Loos Awards Banquet, 19 Mar 09
• Texas Spring Meeting, College Station, 6-8 Mar 09
• TEXOMA Annual Meeting, Plano, 17-19 Jul 09

Link to the Online Calendar

Joe Kellogg/Loos Awards Banquet is March 19

Alamo Chapter Aerospace Education Foundation...

The Alamo AFA Chapter, in support of the Aerospace Education Foundation (AEF) presents 20 scholarship checks each year to the outstanding cadet of each of the 20 Air Force High School AFJROTC's in the San Antonio area. Each High School AFJROTC detachment, squadron or unit selects one outstanding cadet of the year. The Alamo Chapter is proud to support the accomplished cadets with an award package contain a medal, ribbon, certificate and the scholarship.

This AFA Bronze Medal is presented to the outstanding junior year cadet in AFJROTC unit. Ralph Chalfant, VP-Aerospace Education coordinates the delivery of the above items usually by assigning a local chapter member to present the award to the outstanding cadet at the unit's Spring Banquet.

In addition to presenting scholarships to 20 high school outstanding cadets yearly, the Alamo Chapter also presents monetary scholarships to outstanding college AFROTC cadets at Texas State University in San Marcos and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

The Alamo Chapter Aerospace Education Foundation was originally envisioned and successfully launched largely due to the efforts of its first president, Dr. Kaye Biggar. Kaye's leadership and diligent efforts got it off the ground and his continuing nurturing ensured it was steadily incorporated into Chapter activities at all appropriate junctures. Today, the AEF plays a major role in chapter activities.

So, what is the AEF? It's a Texas nonprofit 501.c.(3) corporation organized under the auspices of the Alamo Chapter of the Air Force Association. The aim is to benefit Air Force Airmen and their dependents through Education, Advocacy and Support mirroring on a local level the efforts of the National AFA. AEF supports airmen's efforts to improve the Air Force through increased awareness of science and aerospace in the form of scholarships and sponsorships. AEF aims to increase awareness of aerospace power. The chapter maintains close relationships with local Air Force entities throughout the year through support of programs teamed with our active duty airmen and community partners.

The AEF role has increased dramatically over the past three years as we teamed with Air Education and Training Command to stage a world-class event...The AETC Symposium and AFA Exposition. This event brings education to the forefront of priorities and fits congruently within AFA goals and objectives.

The AEF reaps many benefits from the Symposium, not the least of which is significant resources which then are used to support Chapter Education goals in the form of scholarships and other programs to support airmen-in the local community as well as throughout AETC. For example, last year:

• Headquarters AETC was allocated approximately $40,000 to support airmen programs
• Air University was allocated approximately $25,000 for their program support
• Air Force Recruiting Service was allocated approximately $10,000
• Chapter supports Airmen Awards annually
• Established the "Dr. Kaye Biggar" fund to make Alamo Chapter AFA Scholarship and Education Outreach programs self-sufficient.

AEF is a major hub for chapter business and activities. In order to do justice to all of our programs, we need the support of our active duty and retired Air Force Association members. We urge you to join AFA and once a member please team with the Alamo Chapter to help us support our United States Air Force and its outstanding airmen at the levels they richly deserve. There are places for anyone and everyone to get involved. If you are interested please call or e-mail to discuss your participation.

David Pope, Alamo Chapter AEF
Pope_david@bah.com Tel 210.288.6287

President's Column...

From this you can see we have plenty happening. I think of the possibilities and the impact YOU could have on the AFA and our Air Force...I urge each member to get involved in some way to help us make a difference!

Best wishes for a very prosperous 2009!

Educate...Advocate...Support

Gary Copsey

President, Alamo Chapter AFA

Alamo Chapter AFA Community Partners

We wish to thank our Community Partners who continue to support the AFA
and make our programs possible...
We couldnʼt do it without you!
For information on our community partner program and how to join, see our
website at www.alamoafa.org. Our VP for Community Partners is John Dipiero

www.alamoafa.org