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WING STAFF
: Featured Links
WING LEADER
Col. Steve Barber
EXECUTIVE OFFICER:
Col. Jason Somes
OPERATIONS OFFICER:
Col. Gary Barber
MAINTENANCE OFFICER:
Vacant
ADJUTANT:
Col. Bob Albee
FINANCE OFFICER:
Col. Casey De Bree
SAFETY OFFICER:
Col. Marc Russell
AIRSHOW OFFICER:
Col. Jason Somes
AIR SHOW COORDINATOR:
Col. Bill O'Neill
CHIEF DOCENT:
Vacant
COLLECTIONS MGR.:
Col. Jim Tierney
FACILITIES OFFICER:
Col. Bob Albee
HANGAR EVENTS MGR.:
Col. Dick Burrer
HISTORIAN:
Col. Ron Fleishman
MUSEUM DIRECTOR:
Col. Sarah De Bree
NEWSLETTER EDITOR:
Col. Dave Flood
NEWSLETTER
CO-EDITOR:
Col. Casey De Bree
PERSONNEL OFFICER:
Col. Norm Swagler
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER:
Col. Pat Brown
TRAINING OFFICER:
Vacant
WEBMASTER:
Col. Dave Flood
SPECIAL REPORT: CAF PRESIDENT STEVE BROWN'S VISIT TO OUR WING - FEB. 23, 2008
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New CAF President Steve Brown addressing the SoCAWing members who attended the General Meeting in the Museum Hangar on February 23, 2008.
New CAF President Steve Brown met with Wing members in our Museum Hangar on Saturday, February 23, 2008. He gave us an insight into his vision for the CAF of the future with an effective power-point presentation.
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He enunciated his strong belief in our CAF Mission Statement:
The Commemorative Air Force - Honoring American Military Aviation through...
* Flight - Continuing to fly those memorable planes of military aviation that have made such a difference over our country's history in the preservation of freedom.
* Exhibition - Presenting the CAF Mission through public display, recreating the passion of flying by keeping our military aviation planes in the air.
* Remembrance - Honoring those who served and those who flew the magnificent airplanes of the past.
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President Brown sees future strength in our numbers
His vision includes many units coming together as one group in presenting our largest private air force in the world to the assembled crowds at places like Air Venture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin and Sun 'n' Fun, Lakeland, Florida. He sees us filling the skies with our various planes (B-29, B-24, B-17s, B-25s, C-46, P-51s, F6Fs, F8Fs, SNJs, Zero, Spitfire, etc.) - coming in to land at Oshkosh and Lakeland, and lining up on the flight line. What a sight to behold, and wouldn't that get the attention of the public and the press!
Other New Ventures Proposed by Steve Brown
* We need to grow our member base by more and better recruiting, and we need to retain our members once we recruit them. A mentor program was suggested for each wing, so that new members could become comfortable within the wing and find where they can work the best.
* We need a professionally-run tent/display at major air shows to show the aviation community and the public who we are and what we are doing and what we stand for.
* We need regional air shows, with several CAF units acting together - supported by a national sponsor.
* We need to do outstanding fly-overs of national sporting events - like the Super Bowl, NASCAR events, World Series, etc.
* We need more articles and photos in major aviation magazines, including those for general aviation.
* We need to invest more in sponsorship development. There is a new person at Headquarters whose mandate is to do just that. It is hoped that major sponsorships will lead to financial help filtering down to the CAF units.
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How President Brown Proposes We Can Attain These Goals
* We must increase member dues to $200 per year as of 3/1/2008.
Since many other items have increased in cost over the years since 1987 (e.g., bread 135%; milk 241%; gas 225%), it seems only reasonable that our dues would increase commensurately. Our dues have been the same since 1987 (20 years!).
* Supporting Member dues increase to $55 per year as of 3/1/2008(from the present $45 for Associate Member).
* Cadet dues remain the same, at $45 per year.
* ANUAC for each CAF airplane doubles as of 1/1/2008.
* All new monthly 4-color magazine - Dispatch.
* New website - with a sharing of ideas among units.
* Better affiliate partnerships benefitting members.
* More unit assistance visits (Safety, Operations, Maintenance, President).
* National sponsorships - with the aim to funnel funds back to CAF units.
* Merchandise selection through a national CAF catalog.
* Professional organizational presentation and central rallying point at air shows.
* Recruiting manual for use by each Wing Recruiting Officer - with use of expertise from exemplary recruiting personnel at Wing level.
* Uniform CAF shirt and logo - to make a concerted impression where CAF colonels convene together.
* More grants - help from CAF HQ for units to write grants.
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Our Wing Leader, Steve Barber, Thanked Steve Brown for his presentation.
Steve Barber took the microphone at the conclusion of President Brown's presentation, and thanked him for coming to our Wing and presenting the vision he has for our future CAF. He thanked him for being forthright with the current situation and how we can go forward and attain the visions he projected for a united CAF in the future.
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Our Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat flying back to CMA from Airsho2007 at CAF Headquarters in Midland, Texas.
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"He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.
To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle - requires creative imagination and marks real advance in (human understanding).
Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere!"
Albert Einstein
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© Copyright Commemorative Air Force, Inc., except as otherwise marked. All rights reserved.
Our SNJ-5 #290, which has been a steady performer for many years.
Our F8F-2 Bearcat flying formation with a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet in a Tailhook Flight at Airsho 2001.
© Photo by Jo & Jack Brinkerhoff
Cmdr. Don McMillan, USN (Ret.), of our Wing, standing next to the placard showing his experiences during WWII, in which he flew Navy torpedo bombers, and earned the Navy Cross for sinking the Japanese carrier Zuikaku, a ship which had participated in the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Don was inducted into the CAF's American Airman Combat Hall of Fame in September, 2007 in Midland.
© Photo be Eric Van Gilder
The dues increase of 25% amounts to just 1.25% per year over the 20-year period.
Changes in Member Benefits proposed by President Brown
© Photo by Frank Mormillo
