Reports from the Tailhook Association directors and officers for the first half of our fiscal year confirm the Association is “up and ready,” and as we approach the final quarter we anticipate completing the year “full mission capable.” More on the particulars later.
First I would like to welcome formally our three newly elected directors, CAPT Pat Cleary, CDR Sara Joyner and CDR Joe Martinez. These three active-duty leaders join incumbents Curt Dosé and CDR Marc Preston and will greatly aid the board with their perspective on current fleet issues and concerns. Further, I would like to recognize, congratulate and, on behalf of the entire membership, offer most sincere thanks to our three departing directors who steered a steady course through sometime turbulent and rough skies and navigated the Association into smooth air. Serving to their term limits of nine years, while meeting command responsibilities on active duty, were CAPTs Sterling Gilliam and Rodger Welch. VADM Mike Bowman, USN(Ret), former ComNavAirPac, served as the former president of the Tailhook Educational Foundation and most recently as a Tailhook Association director. We owe our lasting appreciation for a job extremely well done to each.
Those who attended Tailhook Convention Hook '08 know we had another terrific event with maximum attendance. The panels began on Friday morning with the Industry Technical Innovation Panel. Although this session competed with the golf and tennis tournaments, the attendees gave a resounding “thumbs up” to the forum, and we intend to continue this event in following years. We will attempt to schedule it to ensure a larger audience.
Another big hit was the landing signal officer (LSO) panel. The theme for the LSO panel was Past, Present and Future and included sea stories and real life drama supported by hair-raising pilot landing aid television (PLAT). We believe we can follow up in future years with similar panels to reflect on more of these experiences (and fables) of our great heritage.
As usual, Saturday’s Flag Panel filled the auditorium and elicited a wide range of great questions (and a few “statements for the record”) from the audience. Panelists, Flag officers representing current Naval leadership from the fleet, the Bureau of Personnel, Commander, Naval Aviation Training Command, Commander, Naval Air Systems Command and the Pentagon responded with candid responses. It was a great exchange and once again, the centerpiece of the symposium.
We wrapped up Hook '08 with the banquet recognizing the Tailhooker of the Year, CAPT Bill Sizemore, and Marine Tailhooker of the Year, LtCol Michael R. Orr. Our banquet guest speaker, ADM Robert “Rat” Willard, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, capped off the evening with inspiring and uplifting remarks.
Begin planning for Hook ’09. Rooms at John Ascuaga’s Nugget sell out early before each year’s convention. We look forward to seeing you there!
The business of the Tailhook Association is in great hands with our Executive Director J.R. Davis and Treasurer Jim Oliver. Their wisdom and dedication continue to steer our financial portfolio in a positive direction, despite the recent downward trend of the economy. Our investments continue to perform above the average, as stated in our report to the membership, and our balance sheet at midyear shows income in advance of the projected budget, while expenses were below the budget line. Their careful management of our assets shows strength and growth, precisely where we need to be for now and the future.
Our emphasis remains on sustaining and growing our membership. We have noted in the past few years a leveling off of both our active-duty and retired membership. Although we understand that the force is shrinking, we continue with the goal to bring all active-duty carrier aviators into the fold. The Strike Teams are doing a great job of contacting and bringing in new members. Initiatives like reduced annual dues for active-duty new members seem to be paying off. But we are still reaching out to meet our goal and will be doubling our efforts in the ready rooms around the fleet.
Our Fall Board Meeting is at NAS Oceana in November. We look forward to joining our members there and growing our membership even more. We have an extensive list of lapsed (no visual, no tally) members and will be forming teams to connect with them to establish a rendezvous pattern highlighting the benefits of membership so they can join in cruise or parade formation. We are asking for your assistance to find a wingman with this initiative.
Finally, we expect to finish 2008 strong as we ramp up preparations for the Centennial of Naval Aviation in 2011. Enjoy the many exciting articles in this edition of The Hook magazine and continue to fly to the edge, safely.