The New Year

The future for the Tailhook Association looks bright as we move into 1999. Our reunion and symposium in 1998 was described by many as the “best ever,” and we plan another large professional event this year. Mark your calendar for 19–22 August 1999 to spend a few days in Reno renewing old friendships and meeting new members who share your love of carrier aviation and the magic of flying at sea.

New Items From the In Basket

• New color in Tailhook logo stock: This quarter we are adding black as a new color to our selection of Tailhook shirts. The new shirts are high quality 100 percent cotton pique cloth.
• The Tailhook History: Our publication of the Tailhook History is scheduled for mailing on 28 December to those who ordered it. We have reviewed all of the sections of the book before it was printed, and we are proud of the quality of the publication. For those of you who paid for this publication many months ago, I think the finished product justifies the wait.
• Tailhook Phone Service: Tailhook has entered into a partnership program with Cybertel Communications Corp. that will provide you with substantial savings on your long distance phone bill and a dual purpose Tailhook membership/calling card. This is a win-win program because you will receive a low rate for all your long distance calls: 9.9 cents per minute, six-second rounding, and no monthly service charge for long-distance service. This new service could reduce your long distance phone bill by 10 to 60 percent.
  The Tailhook Association will receive a small royalty from the long distance calls you make. We have switched the Tailhook corporate service to Cybertel and have seen 39 percent reduction in our long distance phone bill. Call 1-877-4TAILHOOK (877-482-4546) to activate discounted long-distance phone service and receive your new membership/calling card. This process is done electronically and takes only a few minutes.
• The Tailhook Message Board — HookMsgBrd@aol.com: If you wish to receive e-mail from the Tailhook Message Board, send us a simple e-mail with the following subject line: “your e-mail address, add.” To have your name removed from the message board send the following subject e-mail: “your e-mail address, delete.”

Membership

The most tangible benefit of membership is our flagship publication, The Hook, and this year we hope to improve the magazine by adding more color photography. Don’t miss an issue and don’t worry about the hassle of renewing every year. Convert your annual membership to a life membership today.

The cost is $705, and it can be paid in a lump sum or in five payments over 12 months. Call our toll-free line (800) 322-4665 and ask for a life membership conversion.

The Membership Committee has been busy calling Tailhookers whose membership is inactive. The committee made more than 400 phone calls in 1998 that resulted in 89 returning members. About 20 percent of our former members called are glad to rejoin.

The committee can always use extra help with the phones. If you live in the San Diego area and are willing to spend one hour during the month, we can reach more of our members who have been inactive.

We have completed several recruiting drives during the last 12 months, including Tailhook Association membership booths at the Naval Institute AFCEA/West Symposium in San Diego, the ANA convention in Norfolk, and at the Naval Institute Warfare Symposium in Virginia Beach, Va. These efforts resulted in 53 new or reactivated members. Our recruiting drives at NASs Whidbey Island, North Island, Lemoore, Oceana and NAF China Lake resulted in 68 new members. Another benefit from the recruiting drives is the face-to-face contact with active-duty Naval officers, representatives from the defense industry and our current membership. I expect that the increases in active duty membership and this new “visibility” will improve the quality of our 1999 reunion and symposium.

The Tailhook Educational Foundation

Now is the time to start thinking about the 1999–2000 school year. The Tailhook Educational Foundation will award scholarships based on Combined Federal Campaign donations (#2965) and your kind contributions to the foundation.

To be eligible for a scholarship, the applicant or the applicant’s parent or guardian must meet one of the following requirements:

• Served in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, or U.S. Coast Guard as a Naval Aviator, Naval Flight Officer or Designated Naval Aircrewman.
• Served on board a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in any capacity as a member of ship’s company or assigned air wing.

Scholarships will be awarded to the most qualified applicants based upon educational and extracurricular achievements, merit, citizenship and financial need. The selection process will not be based upon race, gender, religious preference or creed.

To obtain a scholarship application, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Tailhook Educational Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 26626, San Diego, CA 92196-0626. Applications will be mailed in March 1999, and the completed applications must be returned by Friday, 18 June 1999.

Preliminary Survey Results

The last issue of The Hook contained a survey form concerning the dates and location of our annual reunion and symposium. We have tabulated some preliminary results as the responses are received.

Location, location, location sums up the response. Hotel cost and a Thursday through Sunday format stand out as number two and three preferences. The winning locations are San Diego, Las Vegas and Reno in that order. Though we are set for our 1999 reunion from 19 to 22 August in Reno Nevada, the survey results will be used to select the site of the year 2000 convention.

See you in Reno.