March 17th, 2010
What a great start with a new executive council. Our first general membership meeting together was a great start. We had lots of new faces, a couple familiar, and a few more regulars.
I challenge each and every chapter member to bring more! Spread the word about AFSA! Just a simple direct question…Are you a member of AFSA? And you can take it from there. There are so many great ideas that the chapter is bringing up, that maybe we can’t do it just in one monthly meeting! But this does stop you from volunteering for committees, having a crunch and munch with other committee members to bounce ideas around. Once your peers see you doing this, they will want to join in.
I am excited that we as a chapter are interested in submitting a proposal to Division 5 to host the 2011 Division Convention. I know that we can have an outstanding event, and giving it a lot of that MacDill professional flair.
I look forward to seeing everyone at the next meeting and throughout the base and community.
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March 16th, 2010
Greetings AFSA members-
As with any professional organization, membership is the key to success. As with the current status of our economy, everyone is competing for money and time. Some citizens are taking a relook at the budgets, making cuts in certain expenses, and unfortunately, this is having a ripple effect everywhere. How can we change this?
As we all know, AFSA is more than just an organization…it is an extension of our Profession of Arms. It is a great avenue for the Total Force, Active, Guard, and Reserve to get together for camaraderie, and also to share stories with our retirees and associate members. We become professionally stronger as we stide to accomplish the same goals. Yet, AFSA is still more that an organization. It is the voice of the enlisted force to ensure that our benefits are protected. As some people may say, what has AFSA done for me lately? It is easier to state, “What has AFSA prevented from happening.”
For me, this is one of my key speaking points when I am passing the word about AFSA. One of my techniques that I have found that is working for me is to use the brochure on the Top 10 reasons. Everyone love money, so I key in on how AFSA has been able to secure higher pay raises for us, and how AFSA accomplishes this and how them being a member helps this mission. With a little practice talking to your friends, and with repetition, you will find your niche. I don’t force the membership on them. I let them make their own determination. AFSA is looking for those members that have it in their heart and motivation. As a great AFSA spokesperson said….Join AFSA for the right reasons, not just for an EPR bullet.
I look forward to a successful year within our Chapter!!
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May 16th, 2009
Greetings, Chapter 552
What would you do?
Here is an amazing story from the Air Force website. Staff Sgt. Bartek Bachleda, 909th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, was flying from Chicago to Narita, Japan. He looked outside his window and saw what looked like fuel coming from the wing. Being a boom operator, it seems that he would know a little about jet fuel…
SSgt Bachleda notified the stewardess who, in turn, notified the pilot before the plane went oceanic. Had he not notified the pilot, who knows what would have happened?
BRAVO ZULU, SSgt Bachleda!
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May 13th, 2009
Greetings, Chapter 552
It is time once again for my blog post to the chapter. I have a couple of stories of interest today – first of which is that the Air Force has announced the 16th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force! Congratulations to Chief Master Sergeant James A. Roy. Chief Roy is coming from an assignment as the Senior Enlisted Leader to USPACOM at Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii.
The second story of interest this month is that of Retired Major Kenneth Carpenter. Who, you may ask, is Retired Major Kenneth Carpenter? Major Carpenter is a Vietnam veteran who was pilot and involved in a particularly famous mission. Major Carpenter was pilot of an AC-47 attack cargo aircraft known as “Spooky 71,” during an offensive which affected all American bases in the area. While providing air support, Major Carpenter’s aircraft was rocked with mortar fire. Although the aircraft sustained heavy damage, Major Carpenter was able to land successfully, saving the lives of eight crewmembers. One of those crew members is a particularly famous Airman First Class. Who might that airman be? Read more here!
Don’t forget about the general membership meeting on Tuesday! Come on out and support our chapter and our super enlisted club!
Dr. G.
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March 12th, 2009
by Senior Master Sgt. Sean E. Cobb
Office of the Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force
3/11/2009 – WASHINGTON (AFNS) — Former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Paul Wesley Airey died March 11 in Panama City, Fla.
“Chief Airey was an Airman’s Airman and one of the true pioneers for our ervice,” said Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff. “He was a warrior, an innovator, and a leader with vision well ahead of his time. His legacy lives today in the truly professional enlisted force we have serving our nation, and for that we owe him a debt of gratitude.”
“Chief Airey is the most respected enlisted Airmen in the history of the Air Force,” said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley. “When we speak of today’s Airmen standing upon the shoulders of giants as they reach for the sky and stars — it was upon Paul Airey’s shoulders they stood. We will truly miss his leadership, counsel and friendship.”
Full Story
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March 12th, 2009
Greetings, Chapter 552
We have several events coming up that I would like to chat about. First, our monthly meeting will happen next Tuesday, 17 March, 2009 – be sure to wear your green, and bring a friend! We have some very special announcements to make at the meeting, so if you want to be in the know, be sure to be there. The chapter took home several awards from the Division 5 Convention in Panama City last month, and we will be sharing the results of those with the chapter at the meeting… of course, you can read all about them here, but not until after the meeting 
Next, is Air Fest. We are currently looking for volunteers to help man the booth for both days of the Air Fest, so if you have a couple of free hours, please contact either myself or MSgt Shelley Liebert. We are dividing the days into a morning shift – 0800 – 1200, and an afternoon shift, 1200 – 1600. If you work the afternoon shift, we may ask you to stay behind and help cleanup/tear down. If you have some extra time to donate, please sign up for the afternoon shift.
As always, keep checking back for the latest and greatest chapter information!
GO BUCCANEERS!
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February 16th, 2009
Greetings, Chapter 552…
I am writing this blog from the chilly and snowy city of Stuttgart, Germany… Yes, I have the misfortune (yeah, right!) of being TDY to Deutschland! Don’t worry, the chapter is in the very capable hands of our vice-president, SMSgt Barnett. He will be conducting the chapter’s business and the monthly meeting while I am out of town. You have no idea what a comfort it is to know that the chapter is in such capable hands while I am out of town.
Here is a photo from outside my hotel…
Hotel Fontana, Stuttgart, Germany
I have a couple of pieces of information to pass on…
First, we have named our NCO and First Term Airman of the year. Congratulations to TSgt Eric Johnson and SrA Jacqueline Thomas on their accomplishments. They will now compete for Division 5 honors at the division convention in Panama City later this month. Good luck to both of them!
Second, we have some newsletters available. The AFSA Monthly Newsletter is now available, as well as the Division 5 quarterly newsletter. Please take a moment to check them out – there is a lot of good information in both – especially as far as the legislative information.
That is all I have for this edition – I will post more later as information becomes available!
Take Care, and have a great AFSA day!
Dr. Scott P. Graverson, MSgt, USAF (Ret.)
President, AFSA Chapter 552
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February 10th, 2009
Greetings, all
In an effort to reach more people and to disseminate information more rapidly and easily, I have created the President’s Blog for the AFSA Chapter 552 website. If you are using an RSS feed reader such as iGoogle or Yahoo, or have an RSS feed reader application on your computer such as Microsoft Outlook 2007, you can subscribe to this blog and you will have the latest and greatest information delivered right to your door!
Don’t forget – the general membership meeting is next Tuesday, February 17th in the Enlisted Heritage Room at the NCO Club on MacDill AFB. The meeting starts at 1130; however, if you want to come early and enjoy the fine buffet that the club serves on Tuesdays, please feel free to do so.
That’s all for now – I’m sure I’ll have more information to pass on in the near future!
Regards
Dr. Scott P. Graverson
President, AFSA Chapter 552
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