March 13, 2012

The Alamo Chapter AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 34261 San Antonio TX 78265-4261
www.alamoafa.org
AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT AEROSPACE ORGANIZATION

ALAMO AFA
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
MINUTES
For March 13, 2012

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by Alamo AFA Chapter President Al Swaim. This month’s meeting was held at the Randolph AFB Kendrick Club.

ATTENDANCE

The following individuals signed in as attending: Al Swaim, Randy Coggins, Paul Weseloh, Tom Arko, Bill Croom, Jim Whitmore, Michael Morales, Jonathan Lovejoy, Sean Habina, Douglas Nelson, Michael Anderson, Joe Peltier, Carlos Massiatte, Gary Copsey, Ray Cornish, and Tom Peterson.

GUESTS
Jenise Carroll AFPC/DPTO
AWARDS BANQUET

Al Swaim reported that overall the banquet went off well. Lackland AFB did conduct a base wide exercise just prior to the start of the banquet and some individuals were not able to access the base. Randy Coggins has contacted those individuals and they understand and did accept our chapter apologies.

MINUTES FOR LAST MEETING

Minutes from last meeting were reviewed. A motion was made, seconded, and approved to accept the minutes as written.
TREASURER'S REPORT

The treasurer’s report was reviewed. The report was approved as presented.

AETC SYMPOSIUM and ALAMO AFA EXPO BRIEFING

Funds received from our hosting the exposition have been transferred from the chapter checking account to the Chapter Aerospace Education Foundation. Part of the funds will be held in reserve there in case of any possible obligations incurred due to any cancellation or changes in scheduling of future AETC Symposiums.
Tom Arko met with Craig Smith from the Valero Texas Open in regards to assistance in conducting a chapter fund raising golf tournament in 2013 since there will be no AETC Symposium next year. Craig brought up the option of having our tournament timed in conjunction with Valero Open. We could host a Wounded Warriors Military Banquet on a Wednesday, hold our tournament on a Thursday, and offer passes to our golfers to watch the Valero Open on Friday. There is a possibility to work in conjunction with the Air Force AETC Commanders’ Conference if scheduling and command support allows. We will continue to work with Craig to further define potential requirements for chapter involvement.
AFA TEXAS SPRING EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

Gary Copsey reported from the AFA Texas Spring Executive Committee Meeting recently held in Del Rio. He discussed the AFA national efforts to assign chapter affiliation to unaffiliated AFA members. Our chapter stands to pick up an additional 250 members. John Blumentritt will be working with the Concho AFA Chapter in San Angelo to support their activities.
AFA NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT

Tom Arko, Chapter Executive VP and Membership Support VP, reported that a decision has been made to not duplicate the existing military family services family support activities. Instead we will be working to find ways to support and enhance their programs. National AFA will match our funding for three year AFA memberships for top three graduates and all distinguished graduates of Airman Leadership Schools in our area. Locally we will be, in near future, holding a membership family member appreciation day at Lackland. Date and details to be determined.
WOUNDED AIRMAN SUPPORT PROGRAM

Jim Whitmore reported that an effective system has been established with local military care givers to contact our chapter first to work with immediate unsupported non-medical needs of wounded airmen coming through the medical treatment facilities. Jim also recommended that a chapter sub-committee be assigned which can quickly vet any financial obligations involved to support wounded airmen. The chapter president will report back at next meeting with recommendations for that sub-committee. As an example, Jim mentioned that a former wounded airman is now working with DOD to support and mentor newly wounded airmen. This individual is visually challenged but does not meet the military criteria for a computer program which would assist him with scheduling and reporting. The program in question is Dragon Naturally Speaking Professional. A motion was made, seconded, and passed that Jim be allowed to research and purchase with chapter funds, at the best available price, the software for presentation to the airman.
USAF AIRMAN HERITAGE MUSEUM

Ray Cornish, representing the Lackland Gateway Heritage Foundation, spoke on the efforts of the foundation to emphasize that the museum being developed will be a national museum, not just a local museum. He was given some suggestions for working with National AFA to help spread the word. The museum website is: https://www.myairmanmuseum.org .
ALS PLAQUE

Carlos Massiatte updated on the chapter support of ALS. One thing discussed was a wall plaque for the school to display the names of each class’s John Levitow winner. The John Levitow Award is the highest honor presented to a graduate of Air Force Enlisted Professional Military Education (PME), including Airman Leadership School, NCO Academy, and the Senior NCO Academy. It was moved, seconded and passed for Carlos to research and purchase a plague for this purpose.



PAST PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS

Randy Coggins expressed his gratitude to the members present as well as all affiliated members for their support of him in his past two years of service as chapter president. He gave credit to the nucleus of chapter members for all the accomplishments during his service.
HONOR FLIGHT

Sean Habina reported on her efforts to support the Honor Flight program which works to get WWII veterans to Washington DC so that they can experience the new WWII memorial as well as the various service memorials. Sean will develop a proposal on how the chapter can best support this activity now and in the future. She will present the proposal when compopleted to the Executive Committee for consideration.

CHAPTER CALENDAR

The on-line calendar is available on the chapter web-site at alamoafa.org. If anyone has activities to be posted to the calendar, please forward the information to Douglas Nelson by email at dnelson004@satx.rr.com .

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The meeting was adjourned by chapter president Al Swaim. The April 10, 2012 Executive Committee meeting will be held at the Lackland AFB Gateway Club Enlisted Dining Room at 5:00 PM (1700).





Tom Peterson
Alamo AFA Chapter 234 Secretary
April 9, 2012