Episodes will focus on professional development, career transition, and advice for Airmen navigating their Air Force careers during and beyond their time in uniform.
AFA's podcast will feature interviews with aerospace experts and thought leaders on professional development. Topics will focus on Air Force and AFA updates.
5 Last-Minute Gifts for the Airman in your Life
Dec 20, 2017
Show notes
Background Photo Source: USAF
With only 5 days left until Christmas, we’ve rounded up five perfect gifts for the #AirmanForLife in your life.
1. Children’s Storybooks Get a Brand New Genre: Cybersecurity
Bring some fun to storytime this holiday season with the first-ever storybook by AFA’s CyberPatriot program, Sarah the Cyber Hero! Featuring a female protagonist living in a town full of superheroes, Sarah must earn her superhero cape using the cyber skills she has learned in her school’s cyber education program to protect the town from a malware virus downloaded to a computer.
This holiday season, give a gift that honors Airmen - past, present, and future with the Soaring to Glory Special Edition Rose. Order yours today for someone special and it will arrive in perfect time to plant this spring.
4. Build a Love for Airpower
Source: Amazon.com
This Toy Model F-22is a great way to spend some quality time with the young and aspiring Airmen in your life and introduce them to some of our Air Force’s most exciting aircraft.
5. The Gift that Keeps on Giving
An AFA Membership not only gives you access to premier content like professional development events, networking opportunities, and a wide array of member benefits like military transition assistance, we offer peace of mind knowing your Airman and families in need are in good hands. AFA is here for you every step of the way along your journey as an Airman for Life.
AFA Honors Veterans Day
Nov 28, 2017
Show notes
Take a look at how your AFA chapters honored Veterans Day around the country!
AFA was honored to attend the American Airlines SkyBall in support of the Airpower Foundation. A special thank you to our table sponsors Orbital ATK and the Texas GOs!
AFA members participated in the New York City Veterans Day Parade, where Buzz Aldrin and General Ellen Pawlikowski were honorary Grand Marshalls.
AFA’s Paul Revere Chapter held its eighth annual Veterans Day Fun Run raising over $6,500 to support veterans.
Photo courtesy of Keith Taylor
Photo courtesy of Keith Taylor
Note from the President
Oct 24, 2017
Show notes
Calling All Pilots!
The Air Force and our nation are facing a critical shortage of pilots. Earlier this month, the Air Force announced that retired fighter pilots were encouraged to return to active duty in order to fill critical staff rated positions. The Air Force has taken this unusual step because the shortage of pilots has reached a critical level. Since the 1991 Gulf War, the Air Force lost 30 percent of its personnel and was forced by budget shortages to cut combat-coded fighter squadrons by nearly 60 percent. That reduction not only led to a shortage of pilots but also a shortage of maintainers necessary to sustain critical weapons systems such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The pilot shortage did not happen overnight, and it won’t be solved overnight. Recently, the AFA Chairman of the Board and I met with the Air Force A-3 and industry leaders to strategize a way ahead. Challenges must be resolved in both recruiting new pilots and retaining those we have. More to come as AFA continues to work with the Civil Air Patrol and other organizations dedicated to producing a new generation of Air Force pilots.
Congress Needs to Pass a Budget
The Air Force needs Congress to pass a budget, not another Continuing Resolution (CR). With only a precious few legislative weeks remaining, the likelihood of a budget is fleeting. In a recent Op-Ed I wrote that the best gift Congress could give the Air Force for its birthday is a budget. Congress has failed to support our military with a budget for nine consecutive years. And Congress and our presidents have only passed full appropriations four times in the last 42 years!
To be clear, CRs are bad news. They lock-in funding at the previous year’s level and don’t allow for new requirements that are so desperately needed to modernize our geriatric fleet. They prevent shutting down programs that are obsolete or wasteful. CRs are inefficient, cost the taxpayers billions in additional dollars and maintain an Air Force that is too small for its missions.
As AFA’s President I will continue to do my best to advocate on behalf of our Air Force, however, I need your help. Please do whatever you can to make your voices heard in support of stability and support for our Air Force by encouraging and advocating for Congress to pass a budget. Our mission is to support a dominant Air Force. Our Air Force needs AFA now, more than ever.
Larry O. Spencer
President
AFA Goes Green
Oct 24, 2017
Show notes
Help AFA Go Green. If you currently receive the hard copy of Air Force Magazine please consider “saving a tree” by reading the digital version of the magazine instead. You’ll still receive all the award-winning content Air Force Magazine has been delivering since 1918, and can access it along with each day’s Daily Report using the convenience of your phone, tablet, or laptop! (Life Members will still receive a hard copy of Air Force Magazine Almanac). Update your preferences,here.
AFA Breakfast Series on Capitol Hill
Oct 24, 2017
Show notes
AFA was pleased to welcome Lt Gen Arnold Bunch, military deputy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, as a part of AFA’s Breakfast Series on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, October 17. Gen Bunch discussed the status of numerous acquisition programs, including the Long-Range Standoff weapon, accelerating the Combat Rescue Helicopter, financing re-engining the B-52, and the T-X contract, which he says will likely be pushed to spring of 2018. Read the full recap from the breakfast in Air Force Magazine.
Upcoming AFA Breakfast Schedule:
November 15, 2017:General Darren W. McDew, Commander, US Transportation Command
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
A special thank you to our event sponsors: Aurora Flight Sciences, Elbit Systems of America, General Dynamics,Harris Corp, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK, Pratt & Whitney, The Roosevelt Group, and SAAB.
The AFA Breakfast Series on Capitol Hill is an excellent opportunity for sponsors to meet, greet and listen to senior Air Force decision makers. If you are interested in sponsoring, please contact Fred Ullman at fullman@afa.org or 703-247-5842.
Rolls-Royce Joins AFA as Aerospace Education Sponsor
Oct 24, 2017
Show notes
Rolls-Royce has joined the Air Force Association as the Platinum Sponsor for AFA’s Aerospace and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Programs.
“AFA is incredibly proud to have the support of Rolls-Royce to continue building our mission of promoting aerospace education,” said Gen Larry Spencer (Ret.), Air Force Association President. “These programs and initiatives provide unique opportunities for students and educators around the nation to encourage STEM education and careers.”
AFA’s Aerospace Education Programs provide educational opportunities for our Total force Airmen, their Families and America’s youth.
Rolls-Royce has been the sponsor of AFA’s National Teacher of the Year Program for two consecutive years, providing direct support to promote STEM activities in schools around the country.
“Just as STEM education is crucial to the future of the US Air Force, it is also crucial to the future of Rolls-Royce,” said Phil Burkholder, President, Rolls-Royce Defense North America. “Educators around the country are working hard today to inspire students who will become the propulsion system engineers of tomorrow. We are excited to support AFA and its mission to promote aerospace education.”
The generous support of Rolls-Royce allows AFA to continue supporting Aerospace Education programs. Major AFA educational programs include the National Teacher of the Year, K-12 Educator Grants, and scholarships. AFA partners with other educational organizations, including Civil Air Patrol, Arnold Air Society and Silver Wings, JROTC and ROTC to encourage STEM education among America’s youth.
Rolls-Royce, a power and propulsion systems company, employs more than 6,500 people around the United States, literally coast to coast. The company’s primary US manufacturing facility is in Indianapolis, IN, where engines for US Air Force C-130Js, CV-22s, and Global Hawk aircraft are manufactured.
Learn more about AFA’s Aerospace Education programs, here.
AFA on the Issues
Oct 24, 2017
Show notes
Aircrew members from the 123rd Airlift Wing prepare to fly to Texas aboard a C-130 Hercules at the Kentucky Air National Guard base in Louisville, Ky., Sept. 1, 2017. The Airmen will fly humanitarian aid and airlift evacuation missions there in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. USAF Photo.
Earlier this month, AFA supported an “Air Force Bleed Blue” event on Capitol Hill bringing together members of Congress, staff members, Airmen and Airpower advocates with Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein and Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson. They discussed Air Force issues and programs. Attendees received a timely briefing on the role our Airmen have played during hurricanes this season. Air Force Meteorologists and “Hurricane Hunters” discussed ongoing operations during Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.
AFA supported a small breakfast on Capitol Hill with the Senate Air Force Caucus, congressional staff members, and the Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson and the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Stephen Wilson. Several senators attended and had substantive discussions on several key Air Force issues pending before Congress. They discussed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the devastating impacts of the Budget Control Act (BCA) and sequestration, and the detrimental effects of continued resolutions (CRs) on the Air Force.
Recently, AFA leadership joined the Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan to discuss Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis' priorities for restoring military readiness in order to build a more lethal force, strengthen alliances, and reform business operations to the Department of Defense. Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Paul Selva was in attendance as well to offer his perspective. Also participating in a panel discussion on the defense budget and policy impacts on personnel, readiness and force structure, was Under Secretary of Defense Comptroller David Norquist, Acting Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness Mr. Tony Kurta, and Director Joint Staff Lt Gen Anthony Lerardi.
CyberPatriot & StellarXplorers Break Registration Records
Oct 24, 2017
Show notes
AFA is thrilled to announce that its CyberPatriot program has registered 5,584 teams for its tenth season of the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, a 26 percent increase from the 2016-2017 competition year.
"The growth of the CyberPatriot program has been amazing to watch year after year," said Rachel Zimmerman, CyberPatriot's Director of Business Operations. "We're excited to reach even more students this year with the goal of drawing them to STEM education and careers."
Teams registered represent all 50 States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the U.S. Department of Defense schools in Europe and the Pacific, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hungary, Spain, Guam and the United Arab Emirates.
AFA’s newest STEM education program, StellarXplorers, also closed registration earlier this month, registering 180 teams for the fourth season of the program’s National High School Space Competition, also seeing a dramatic increase in registration from the previous year.
"It's both exciting and gratifying to see the growth of the Program," said Stephen Gourley, StellarXplorers Program Director. "Having so many talented students and their dedicated educators participate bodes well for aerospace education and our nation."
High school students from 31 states and three overseas locations including, Kaiserslautern, Germany, Guam, and Osan Air Base, South Korea, will be represented during the 2018 competition season. Over two-thirds of the teams are involved in Navy JROTC, Marine Corps JROTC and Civil Air Patrol.
The StellarXplorers program is designed to inspire and attract high school students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education careers through hands-on learning about technology by exercising critical thinking skills and emphasizing teamwork.
Mitchell Institute Releases New Policy Paper
Oct 24, 2017
Show notes
USAF Photo
The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce the release of its newest Policy Paper, Full Spectrum Close Air Support for the 21st Century: Leveraging Air Operations with Ground Forces, by Lt Col Michael Buck, USAF (Ret.). A non-resident senior visiting fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, Buck is a retired F-15C Eagle squadron commander, and command pilot with more than 5,000 flight hours. He has experience flying both the F-16 and F-15C, and flew combat missions in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Southern Watch.
In his policy paper, Buck proposes the development of a new approach to close air support (CAS) in order for US and allied air and ground forces to operate across all levels of conflict. Counterinsurgency and irregular warfare campaigns, similar to the wars fought since September 2001, will continue to persist, presenting a low threat environment for aircraft prosecuting CAS missions for the foreseeable future. But future conflicts will also take place in highly contested anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environments, he warns, with far more dangerous threats to aircraft. “Although aircraft optimized for low threat CAS environments will have ongoing value, providing desired effects at lower operating costs, a full-spectrum approach to CAS will also require the capability to engage in high threat scenarios,” Buck notes.
The capability for aircraft to engage in high threat environments while producing desired CAS effects calls for aircraft with the highest levels of survivability and combat capability. Fifth generation aircraft afford survivability in A2/AD environments via stealth and other tools, which allow them to respond to threats quickly. New methods of command and control (C2) that capitalize on situational awareness created via the “combat cloud” will permit efficient, decentralized execution at the tactical level, Buck writes. To optimize the effectiveness of ground forces, sensor-effector aircraft will make on the- spot decisions in these environments, and rapidly coordinate weapons effects across all domains to target enemy forces before they can target US or allied forces, he adds.
The Mitchell Institute Policy Papers are a series of occasional research papers presenting new thinking and proposals that respond to the emerging security and aerospace power challenges the US and its allies face in the 21st century. These papers are written for lawmakers, their staffs, policy professionals, business and industry leaders, academics, journalists, and the informed public. The series aims to provide in-depth policy insights and perspectives based on the experiences of the authors, accompanied by studious supporting research. For more information on this series, contact Mitchell Institute’s Director of Publications Marc V. Schanz at mschanz@afa.org or visit our website, at www.mitchellaerospacepower.org.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
Stay Connected
