Check out our photos from the Division 11 / 12 joint convention!

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AFSA is your Air Force enlisted organization dedicated soley to the people behind the stripes.  We are all enlisted grades of Air Force Active Duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve Command, retired, veteran and family members.  We are the men and women who have a long and rich heritage of being the force behind the high-tech machinery, a well-educated decision-making force, people who make procurement recommendations, and we are those who work on systems and platforms and assist in research and development of America’s superb airpower.   We are the people that have invested their lives in the cause of freedom.

 Each year, Congress and the Department of Defense make hundreds of decisions on issues that directly affect the lives of enlisted people and their families.  These important issues include medical care, job security, pay, commissary privileges, education benefits, et al.  There was a time when the voice of the enlisted Airman was nowhere to be heard… until the Spring of 1961 when a handful of individuals came together to form the Air Force Sergeants Association in San Antonio, Texas.  AFSA is an international organization based in metropolitan Washington, D.C. dedicated to speaking out on behalf of the people behind the stripes; with nearly 111,000 members, AFSA has led the way on both Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and in the White House.  We have earned the recognition and respect of our Nation’s leaders for our sustained role as the “Voice of the Total Air Force Enlisted Force.”  The AFSA mission at headquarters level is to advocate improved quality of life and economic fairness that will support the well-being of Air Force enlisted members and their families.

 AFSA currently consists of 142 active chapters around the world with 111,000 members.  Organizationally, AFSA is led by volunteers at the 142 chapters, 13 Divisions, and an International Headquarters located at 5211 Auth Road, Suitland, Maryland (about 5 minutes from Andrews AFB).  The Airmen Memorial Building houses the entire International Headquarters operation along with the Airmen Memorial Museum (AMM).  There is a paid staff of 23 dedicated professionals at the headquarters to serve the members on a daily basis.   The recently upgraded AMM is a showcase of enlisted heritage with artifacts maintained by a curator dedicated to preserving the rich heritage of our enlisted corps throughout the many years of their service. 

 Communications is the key to AFSA keeping its world-wide membership informed of activities on Capitol Hill.  AFSA publishes its own professional magazine, SERGEANTS, six times each year and is widely respected for its content.  The AFSA Enlisted Almanac, published each Jan/Feb, is widely sought after for research and useful information by officer, enlisted, and their families.  Additionally, AFSA has its own highly respected website and a weekly Newsletter published every Friday with timely information affecting all its members.  AFSA also maintains a toll-free hot line with daily messages on the latest events on Capitol Hill; everyone is encouraged to use this free service at 1-800-638-0594.

AFSA “educators” (i.e., lobbyists) continue to inform members of Congress, the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Education, Health and Human Services, and the White House of the sacrifices that our enlisted members and their families make on a daily basis.  From fighting for full pay and allowances to cost of living allowances, retirement benefits of every component of the Air Force, educational benefits, training opportunities, and force development/assignments.  Several other areas where AFSA has been influential in the past several years include but are certainly not limited to: 

• Freeze of any TriCare premium costs
• Increased allowances and reduction of out-of-pocket expenses during PCS moves, particularly for enlisted members
• Increased pay and allowances and benefits for lower grade enlisted members
• Approval of enlisted flyer incentive pay
• Approval of enlisted hazardous duty pay for specified job specialties
• Increased component health care, pay and compensation, and quality of life benefits for reservists and their families
• Continued protection of military stores (commissaries and exchanges)
• Retirement pay protection
• Appropriation of Impact Aid for education of Air Force children in local school districts and with the DODDS
• Transferability of educational benefits for active duty military family members
• Enhanced voting opportunities across the world 

AFSA’s leading role on Capitol Hill was best described by Senator John McCain(R-AZ), who stated “I often call AFSA when a tough legislative job needs to be done.  For over three decades they’ve been an extremely effective and respected presence on Capitol Hill.  AFSA educates those members on Capitol Hill who have never served and perhaps don’t fully understand the sacrifices the enlisted members of the Air Force, the Reserve and National Guard make to protect our great nation.” 

AFSA hosts an annual Professional Airmen’s Conference and it is truly a “signature” event.  Within that annual gathering of the senior enlisted leadership from the Air Force, Guard and Reserve communities, AFSA members and their families meet to discuss internal operations, conduct elections of volunteer officers, get updated presentations from highly respected civilian and military decision-makers, members of Congress, and host the highly respected Air Force Honors Banquet.  The Air Force Honors Banquet provides the professional venue where awards are presented to outstanding enlisted members from across the spectrum of career specialties. 

In 1983, AFSA founded the Airmen Memorial Foundation (AMF).  This separate organization sponsors several major programs including the AMF Scholarship Program and the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Scholarship Program.

As mentioned earlier, AFSA also maintains the Airmen Memorial Museum in its headquarters building.  The Museum was founded in 1988, and it is dedicated to the heritage and accomplishments of the enlisted force.  It is a public museum and admission is free.  For more information about AFSA, the AMM, the Airmen Memorial Foundation (and its scholarship benefits), please contact us toll-free at 1-800-638-0594 or 301-899-3500 and on the internet at www.hqafsa.org.  You can also write to us at 5211 Auth Road, Suitland, Maryland 20746. 

During his visit, he provided informational briefings for AFSA at 16 different locations for ~475 KAFB personnel. 

AFSA Chapter 1201 sincerely appreciates his time and effort and we are planning another visit in the near future. Here are some photo’s of his visit.

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AFSA Chapter 1201 is conducting a car wash for donations on 26 Jun 10 from 0800-1100. Please come out and support this great AFSA fundraising event. See the map for car wash location at the KAFB commissary parking lot.

If you are interested in Briefing AFSA at FTAC contact SSgt Alesna.

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Telephone residents and encourage them to register to vote
Provide a voter pick up or transportation service for seniors
Campaign for a candidate who is running for an office
Organize a public issues forum for candidates
Contact your juvenile court system Find out if they have a “Kids in Court” program to match older kids who have been in court as abuse victims with younger kids who are facing a court experience
Go door to door to register votes
Design and paint a community mural 
Become an advocate Contact your legislators on issues close to your heart
Contact a local organization about donating flags to public institutions

 Paint a mural over graffiti
 Volunteer to be a teacher’s aide during your study hall
 Collect coupons and small gift certificates for students who show progress in school work
 Hold a used book sale and donate the money
 Organize a “get acquainted” lunch for students at your school
 Set up a buddy system to match new students with ones who have attended school
 Start an anti-smoking campaign that encourages students not to smoke
 Encourage the school cafeteria to donate left over food to local homeless shelters
 Tutor students who are learning English as a second language
 Feature community minded people on a school bulletin board
 Make new kid survival kits for new students at the school
 Have your class hold an old videotape drive and donate them to your library
 Invite local police officers to present a drug awareness or bike safety assembly
 In art class, make drawings and decorations for senior citizens
 Collect school supplies to give to kids who need them
 Form a study group to help younger kids with their school work
 Collect children’s books for the needy
 Volunteer for student council and school government committees
 Tape you and your classmates reading a story and give it to a children’s hospital
 Form a campus safety escort service
 Put on an information fair on how little kids can be safe at home
 Tutor a student that needs help learning English or some other subject
 Conduct a canned goods drive during a school event and donate the items to a local food bank
 Arrange for student music performances during lunch
 Make a New Kid Survival Kit
 Start a New Buddy Club for new students
 Create a play that teaches young children how to stay safe at home while their parents are away
 Provide child care during a PTA meeting
 Conduct a seatbelt check at school as students leave the parking lot
 Organize a safe walk to school event
 Recognize teachers during National Education Week
 Volunteer to be part of a school flag raising ceremony
 Assist an after-school little league or other sports program for younger children
 Volunteer to serve as a crossing guard before and after school
 Set up a volunteer referral service between your school or organization and other community organizations
 Write or make a picture book to read to a younger youth
 Inspect school playgrounds for hazards
 Write a proposal for a sports safety clinic to your coach and school officials
 Organize a Safe Walk Service to escort young children to and from schools
 Make simple reading and math flash cards for a preschool or day care center
 Organize a reading hour for children at your local school or library

 AFSA Annual Awards – Please send nominations for the AFSA Annual Awards to me by COB the meeting on 18 Feb 10. Nominees must be a current AFSA member in good standing and have participated throughout the year supporting AFSA. Packages are due 28 Feb 10, this allows for editing before submitting to Division level.