When the United States entered World War I, it was the eighth-ranked nation in airpower. As other forces prioritized the impact of airpower, the U.S. Air Service drastically cut 6,000 of its 10,000 pilots in just nine days back in 1919. This did not sit well with Army General Billy Mitchell. He fought long and hard for the importance of airpower and the need for a strong national defense.
Today, we know Mitchell as the father of the United States Air Force. After his passing in 1936, General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, the commander of World War II Army Forces, succeeded Mitchell as the leading voice for airpower. Nearly a decade later, General Arnold's advocacy for an independent civilian organization was incorporated as the Air Force Association. Our first national president was noted aviation pioneer and Medal of Honor recipient, General Jimmy Doolittle, who spent AFA's inaugural year establishing chapters across the country. While we have evolved over the decades to uphold the military's standards, national security and the preservation of world peace has remained our core focus for members.
Chapter 105 serves the Airmen and their families through scholarships, donations and educational programs. We promote STEM education through yearly chapter Teacher of the Year, support of the STARBASE prorgrmas and cyberpatriot programs.