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AAFM's National Meeting History

1994

AAFM was in its second year, and conducted the first National Meeting in Colorado Springs, CO. More than 120 members, spouses and guests gathered at the Sheraton Hotel in May. On Monday, we met for a welcome reception, and Tuesday, two busloads took a trip to Warren AFB, WY to visit the 90th Missile Wing. Others stayed and played golf at the Air Force Academy, and that evening, many visited the casinos in Cripple Creek. The next morning, attendees toured Air Force Space Command facilities at Peterson AFB, Falcon AFB and Cheyenne Mountain. That evening, we were entertained at dinner at the hotel by a country western group that was part of the Air Force Band of the Rockies.


Airboat Ride in Florida


1998

AAFM gathered in October at the Holiday Inn in Cocoa Beach, FL, with over 150 in attendance.   We toured space launch facilities, including the space shuttle pad being readied for Senator John Glenn's trip in to space the following week, and on the second day, many took an airboat ride and dolphin cruise while others played golf.  Many of us rose early the next day to see a Delta space launch, and that evening, Maj Gen Tom Neary, 20 AF Commander, was our featured banquet speaker.


2000 AAFM Board Meeting


2002

Once again, we met at the Santa Maria Inn, and toured Vandenberg and Hearst Castle. Over 200 attended, maxing out the facilities at the hotel. Once again, we had dinner one night at the Far Western, and many enjoyed the Vandenberg AFB golf course. Our banquet speaker was Gen Lance Lord, the new Commander of Air Force Space Command.


Breakfast at Little America


2006

For the first time, we met on an operational Minuteman and Peacekeeper base, Warren AFB, WY. Our host, Wing Commander Col Mike Carey, did an exceptional job of welcoming us with a great mission briefing and tours of ops, maintenance and helicopter facilities. We met at the Little America Hotel. Many toured local attractions and some enjoyed golf at the Warren course, and dined at the Western Heritage Museum and enjoyed some music. Gen Kevin Chilton, Commander of Air Force Space Command, spoke at our banquet, with more than 350 in attendance.


Flightline Tour at Davis Monthan


AAFM Board Meeting in 1996


1996

We met in October in Santa Maria, CA, at the Santa Maria Inn.   We toured Vandenberg space launch and missile training areas one day, had dinner at the Far Western, toured Solvang and local wineries, while some played golf, and featured Maj Gen Don Cook, 20th AF Commander,  as speaker at our banquet.  More than 150 attended.

Lunch at Vandenberg Golf Course


2000

We returned to Colorado Springs and used the Doubletree Hotel as our headquarters.  Over 200 attendees toured Air Force Space Command facilities and experienced the Flying W cowboy show and dinner that evening. The next day, while many played golf, others toured the Air Force Academy, and our banquet featured Gen Ed Eberhart, the Commander of Air Force Space Command as our speaker.


Arriving at STRATCOM Headquarters


2004

We gathered at the Omaha Marriott and enjoyed tours and briefings at Offutt AFB, NE. We had dinner and tours at the Strategic Air and Space Museum, and a choice of local area tours, including the Omaha Zoo and the Durham Western Museum, or a day of golf at Pacific Springs. Gen Lance Lord introduced our banquet speaker, Admiral JamesEllis, the Commander of US Strategic Command. More than 180 attended our Omaha meeting.


Jay Kelley presents missile to Tom Reed


2008

AAFM gathered at the Hyatt Dulles hotel, outside Washington, DC, with more than 200 in attendance. On the first day, tours included the World War II Memorial, the Udvar Hazy Museum, the Pentagon and the Air Force Memorial. That evening, Jack Neufeld told us about the life of Gen Bernard Schriever. After the morning meetings the next day, many toured Mount Vernon. On the final day, two busloads of us spent the day at the Gettysburg National Park, with lunch in the historic Dobbins House Tavern. Our banquet featured former Secretary of the Air Force Thomas Reed as the speaker and the Air Force Strolling Strings for entertainment. Gen Schriever's widow, singer Joni James, was our special guest that evening.



2010

AAFM met at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Tucson, AZ, with more than 250 in attendancese.  The Commander of 12th Air Force hosted us for tours of the Combat Air Operations Center at Davis Monthan AFB, along with a visit to the flight line to see aircraft assigned to the base, combined with visit to the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley.   The next day, choices included a golf tournament or a tour of the Sonoran Desert Museum, with lunch at the museum, and San Xavier Mission.  That evening, we toured the "Boneyard" before dinner and tours at the Pima Air Museum.   Saturday included a tour of Old Tucson, and  our speaker for the banquet was Lt Gen Frank Klotz, the Commander of the newly actiated Air Force Global Strike Command.






2012 A-06 Ceremony


2014

The Diamond Jack's Casino and Hotel in Bossier City, LA, was our headquarters, and Air Force Global Strike Command, 8th Air Force and the 2nd Bomb Wing hosted us for base tours and briefings.  We had a great Cajun dinner at Ralph and Kacoo's, and the next day a choice of golf or tours of the Mardi Gras Museum, Louisiana Exposition Buiding, Red River Center and the Norton Art Museum.   Lt Gen Steven Wilson spoke at our Wednesday night dinner and Undersecretary of the Air Force, Eric Fanning, at our banquet.   We presented a painting by AAFM board member CMSgt (Ret) Joe Andrew to AFGSC during the meeting.  Photos by Andrew Here

Joe Andrew's Painting at AFGSC


2018

We met in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with tours of FE Warren AFB and the local Cheyenne area, including the new state run Q01 Peacekeeper Museum. A reunion of the 3901st Strategic Missile Evaluation Squadron was part of the meeting. Our featured speaker was Lt Gen Tony Cotton, Commander of Air University. It was the final National Meeting organized and conducted by outgoing Executive Director Charlie Simpson and his wife Carol, and the new Executive Director, Jim Warner began his transition into the job. The event ended with a blizzard Saturday night, delaying the departure of many attendees the next morning.



                        CAOC Tour at Davis Monthan

2012

Our biggest meeting ever, with over 600 in attendance for a special commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the first Mintueman Missile on alert, in Great Falls, MT at the Best Western Heritage Inn.  Malmstrom AFB hosted us for great tours and briefings, and a Santa Maria BBQ lunch hosted by the Top 3.  That evening, we had dinner at the Great Falls Airport, and the next day most toured the Lewis and Clark Center and the Charlie Russell Museum, while others played in a golf tourney at Meadowlark Country Club.  Maj Gen Mike Carey, the Commander of 20th AF, spoke at dinner that night.  On Saturday morning, more than 650 people attended a special ceremony at Minuteman Launch Facility A-06, the first Minuteman to be put on alert during the Crisis in 1962.  Our speaker for the dinner that evening was the Commander of US Strategic Command, Gen Bob Kehler.  More about AAFM and the Cuban Missile Crisis here. For Photos, go to Quay, and Andrew.

2012 AAFM Banquet


2016

We met in Omaha, NE, home of US Strategic Command, at the Sheraton Omaha.  About 250 of us began Wednesday after our AAFM board met all day Tuesday.  Discussions Tuesday included the SAC Hall of Fame, the phase in of a new Executive Director over the next two to three years, plans for 2018 in either Cheyenne, Dayton or Huntsville, and other topics.  Thursday we spent the day at Offutt, included a driving tour of the base, tours of the Globa Operations Center and the Air Room, and several briefings.  Dinner that night was at the SAC Aerospace Museum, and Friday most took a tour of Omaha attractions while a few played golf at Quarry Oaks.  That night, we were entertained by Ground Zero, a band started by Missileers and featuring some Groobers music.  Saturday started with our General Membership meeting, board meeting, a Zoo tour, showing of the Command and Control Documentary, and ending with a fantastic talk by General Robin Rand, Commander of AF Global Strike Command.



            2020/21

Our 2020 meeting was cancelled due to COVID and a second attempt in 2021 was converted to our first virtual meeting.  The video is posted on YouTube at this link.  The meeting minutes are posted here.  The Zoom meeting featured keynote speaker, General Tony Cotton, Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command and Colonel Erik Quigley and Colonel Jason Bartolemei of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center. 





2022

After a four-year break, AAFM finally met in person at the Courtyard Marriott in Salt Lake City.  Although attendance was at its lowest since the organization started, members in attendance were fortunate to get great insights into the sustainment of Minuteman III and the acquisition of Sentinel.  On Thursday, the group was hosted by the 309th Missile Maintenance Group (MMXG). Briefings on the Ogden Air Logistics Center, 309th MMXG, and Minuteman III Program Office missions were followed by tours of depot maintenance activities.  AAFM then supported the ribbon cutting of the new ICBM display at the Hill Museum. On Friday, Northrop Grumman hosted the group and provided insights into the upcoming acquisition of the Sentinel weapon system which included a tour of stage winding facility in Clearfield. Speakers during the week included CMSgt (Ret) Mark Silliman, Colonel Kristen Nemish, AFNWC/CV, Col Deane Konowicz, 20 AF/CV, and Brig Gen Stacy Jo Huser, NNSA. Copies of all the presentations that could be shared can be found here and minutes of the General membership meeting can be found here.


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