Air Force Association Membership Drive Published March 3, 2008 By Lt. Col Linda Haseloff 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- The Holloman Air Force Base Air Force Association-Fran Parker Chapter 196 kicks off its membership drive March 6, 2008, at 4 pm in the Desert Sands ballroom. All base personnel are invited to attend the meeting. The AFA mission is threefold: educate the public about the critical role of aerospace power in the defense of our nation; advocate aerospace power and a strong national defense; and support the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force family. "Our AFA chapter has many accomplishments including awarding more than $6,000 in local scholarships and providing more than $55,000 in support of the Air and Space Expo," said Maj. Raymond Madrid, 49th Services Squadron commander. Membership to the AFA is $18/year for E-1 thru E-4, $36/year for all others or $500 for life time. All include a subscription to Air Force Magazine. Join AFA for the fellowship of belonging to the professional organization that represents the entire Air Force family - enlisted and officer, active duty and retired, Guard, Reserve, and Civilian.For additional information, contact Maj. Madrid at 572-5362, or via email at aymond.madrid@holloman.af.mil or visit AFA national Web site www.afa.org. AFA's heritage is rooted in the legacy of Billy Mitchell. Mitchell had seen the United States enter World War I as the eighth-ranked nation in air power - exceeded by Bulgaria, Greece, and Japan as well as by the major powers. Despite the bitter lessons of the war in the air and the high priority other nations were giving to air power, the U.S. Air Service in 1919 was reduced from 10,000 pilots to 149; 6,000 were discharged in nine days. Mitchell fought hard and long in support of the importance of air power and the need for a strong national defense. His work was carried on by the men who believed and served with him. One of these men was the commander of World War II Army Air Forces - General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold. In April 1945, General Arnold first mentioned the need for an independent civilian organization to argue the case for military preparedness and the importance of air power. AFA was incorporated in the District of Columbia on February 4, 1946. The Association's first national president was General Jimmy Doolittle, a noted aviation pioneer and Medal of Honor recipient. A vice president at Shell Oil Co. at the time, Doolittle took a year off to set up AFA chapters across the country. Since then, AFA has spanned the air age, the missile era, the conquest of space, the nuclear age and the post-Cold War period. Although Association policies have evolved to meet changing technological and human demands, AFA has been constant in working to support Air Force people and strengthen American aerospace power to help maintain national security and preserve world peace. In 2006, AFA celebrated its 60th Anniversary and consolidated its activities with those of the Aerospace Education Foundation, formerly an affiliate. The consolidation allowed AFA to become a tax-exempt charitable education institution. The combined organization operates under the name 'Air Force Association' and has continued and expanded the educational programs of the former Aerospace Education Foundation.