HowgozitAugust 2, 2007

Message from the President

This is Howgozit #8 for all ANA Wing Commanders and ANA Squadron Commanding Officers and Membership-At-Large. It would be much appreciated were you to pass this on to all your members.

As reported in Howgozit #7 and in the summer issue of Wings of Gold, your association continues to make progress. What I mean by that is that the headquarters unit is continuing to clear up loose ends from the hiatus period between the old ANA and the new, and slowly but surely solving a myriad of organizational problems. Resolving budget issues, arranging for proper legal documentation and sorting out membership lists all qualify for a short list of those problems; however, the really important issues are establishing and maintaining a good relationship with active duty Naval Aviation, reaching out to like-minded organizations, increasing membership rolls and ensuring that we always keep in mind our mission.

"To educate and encourage an interest among the general public as to the importance of Naval Aviation in the defense of the United States and its allies.."

Let me take those important issues one-by-one.

Based upon personal contact the senior leadership of the active Navy is in full support of our efforts. See my interview with the CNO in the summer issue of Wings of Gold. In addition, Commander Naval Air and Commander Naval Air Systems Command have expressed to me their personal support. At another end of the scale, a new ANA squadron has been stood up at NAS Meridian. It's the Queen City Squadron with the training wing commander, Captain Curt "Goldy" Goldacker as CO. It was he, along with Deano Fournier the ANA Regional Wing Commander with a strong assist from Captain Russ Knight, the CO of the base, who got it organized. Not only did they get it organized they got 15 new active duty members. Well done and welcome aboard!

By the way, the Meridian effort might not have been successful without the help of the Heart of Dixie (HOD) Squadron in Birmingham. They adopted the Meridian aviation community and nurtured them for over a year. The major effort was led by the CO of the HOD Squadron, Dr Marian Heacock. BZ to her and all the HOD members.

As for reaching out to like-minded organizations, we have three separate initiatives underway at this time. First, the Tailhook Association has made available to us booth space at their forthcoming convention and I will be presenting the ANA-sponsored President George H.W. Bush Award to the top junior carrier pilot in the Navy at the banquet. More on Tailhook later.

Resulting from discussions initiated by VADM Gerry Hoewing, president of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation (NAMF), he and I appointed a working committee of two people from each of our organizations to explore ways wherein we might cooperate. The going-in proposition was that the committee should identify areas where we could cooperate in ways that were good for Naval Aviation as a whole. The committee has met and has come up with a program with which both Hoewing and I agree, with an announcement pending only a review by the NAMF board of directors.

Outreach to the Naval Helicopter Association is just beginning but so far Captain Randy Bogle, past Chairman of the Board for the NHA and life member of both Tailhook and ANA has agreed to serve on the ANA Advisory Board. Zip Rausa will be meeting with the NHA executive director in San Diego next month and I have established contact with Steve Tomaszeski, the NHA chairman.

Marines, Reserves and Coast Guard to go.

Turning to the problem of increasing membership rolls, we have not yet cracked that code. Successes like Meridian and the activities of some of our ANA squadrons (more to follow) show us the way to go, but we need your help, each and every one of you, too. It may sound trite, but "Every member get a member," is not a bad way to go. We also need help with corporate memberships, and advertising too. Check the masthead inside the front cover of the summer Wings of Gold and look at the paltry number of corporate advertisers we have. Surely, one of you has some connection to some company that ought to be advertising. If you do, please call, e-mail or write Zip Rausa.

Connected with the membership problem, if needed or useful, squadrons can be provided with a list of squadron members and non-squadron ANA members in our central database. It might be a useful crosscheck. Write, e-mail or call Dutch Rauch, svwindmills@erols.com.

With regard to our ANA mission, the effort is continuous. For starters, there are numerous opportunities in the Washington area we attempt to exploit. Recently, for example, we were represented at a Lexington Institute forum on the future of the aircraft carrier and a misinformed piece in the Naval Institute Proceedings was rebutted. We know there are more where we should jump in but we don't know about them all. That's another area where you could help. Do let us know when somebody gives short shrift to the importance of Naval Aviation. We must respond when at all possible.

As previously reported, because of our rather straightened financial situation, we are not planning an annual meeting/convention for the foreseeable future. We will have opportunities to meet, however.

Tailhook Convention, Reno, 6-9 September. ANA has a booth assigned and will distribute the summer edition of Wings of Gold to passers by. Membership application blanks will also be available. Sharing the booth with us will be Sharlyn Marsh. This is a plus because she will not only be exhibiting some of R.G. Smith's art but she will also be recruiting for us. At that she's top-notch, having averaged about eight active duty types per year at past Hook conventions. We may have an ANA suite as well, but that's TBD at this writing. In any case, stop by and see us. We want to hear from you. By the way, we now have a link to Hook on our web page.

Washington/Anacostia luncheon on September 18. Contact Ernie Snowden for details.

Pensacola ANA Symposium in October; arranged by Deano Fournier, ANA Wing Commander.

While not the near future, although closer than we might expect, the 100th Anniversary of Naval Aviation is in 2011. Commander Naval Air has the dot on this but ANA is standing by to assist when and whenever wanted.

Finally, while we continue to do what we can to move on and up, I'm proud to describe for you who have not heard about what some of our ANA squadrons have been doing. Please understand these are just samples and offered in the event you want to undertake such events yourself. If your squadron has done something special and I haven't noted it, please let us know.

The Sandgropers of Western Australia (Perth) recently hosted Kitty Hawk on two port visits in quick succession, one to Perth and one to Brisbane. For those who don't do well in geography, Perth and Brisbane are across the continent, one from the other. Realizing great potential, and no more fond of cross-country trips than Americans, they are now in the process of recruiting for a re-vitalized squadron in Brisbane.

The Banana River (Florida) Squadron recently donated $3,000.00 to the ANA. We thank you!

In San Diego John Fry is doing great work in getting the local ANA squadron reestablished. He's having regular meetings, arranging tours, building membership and publishing a newsletter.

Whidbey Island reported a session with the NAS Emergency management Office discussing emergency procedures on the NAS and the island. That's not a bad program for any squadron, given the times in which we live.

Our Portland squadron reports a box lunch bus tour of Redmond Airport. They also have a monthly operations plan. Sounds like a great idea.

Anybody else out there? We do love to get letters and e-mails.

All the very best, and Sky Anchors Aweigh! Bob Dunn.

If you have articles that you think would be of interest to our membership, please email to anahqtr@aol.com