Wednesday’s Air Commandos Lunch was a good example of what these gatherings are becoming for AFA Palm Springs Chapter 134. It was not a formal Chapter business meeting, but it gave us an opportunity to hear an outstanding presentation, exchange ideas and bring everyone up to date on some of what has been happening within the Chapter in just the last two weeks.

First, a very special thank you to USAF Major Lee Cohen for his presentation on Operation Nickel Grass, the massive U.S. strategic airlift to Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Lee was personally involved in the operation, and that firsthand experience brought a perspective to the presentation that went far beyond simply recounting the history.

Lee took us through the enormous logistical challenges of the operation, including the refusal of most European allies to provide bases, which forced American aircraft to operate through the Azores and along a long Mediterranean corridor. He discussed the C-141s and C-5s that moved thousands of tons of supplies, equipment and even tanks, and an operation that at its peak was putting an aircraft on the ground in Israel about every 15 minutes. The C-5 proved particularly important, carrying nearly half of the cargo weight despite accounting for a much smaller percentage of the missions.

Everyone was very engaged. The questions and discussion continued well beyond the presentation itself, particularly as Lee talked about his own responsibilities, the people involved and what it took to keep such an enormous airlift operating under wartime conditions. That interaction is exactly what we want our Air Commandos Lunches to be.

But there was another important part of Wednesday’s lunch.

Although this was not a Chapter business meeting, AFA Palm Springs Chapter 134 is moving quickly on a lot of fronts, and we want to make sure our members know what we are doing.

Our new Mission Grant Program is moving ahead. The program will provide one-time grants of up to $500 to a veteran, active duty service member, spouse or family member facing a critical need. We are developing the online application and will establish a three-person committee to review requests so that decisions can be made quickly while protecting the privacy of applicants.

We are very pleased that Chapter member Joe Veca volunteered to serve on the Mission Grant Committee. Thank you, Joe, for stepping up and becoming part of this new program. We still have two positions to fill on the three-person committee.

We are also rebuilding and expanding our Cyber Education initiatives. We have been reaching back out to previous instructors and mentors while developing new ideas for shorter, focused Cyber programs that can reach students throughout the Coachella Valley. One concept discussed Wednesday was a half-day program that could bring students together for concentrated hands-on Cyber instruction. We are also looking at existing educational programs that can help us reach students at different age levels.

That work is already producing results and renewing relationships. La Quinta High School AFJROTC, which has participated with us previously, has told us it intends to register at least one CyberPatriot team again this year. We will be meeting with them this coming Tuesday. We are also continuing to develop our relationship with EAA Chapter 1116 at Jacqueline Cochran Airport as another opportunity to connect young people with aviation, aerospace, STEM and Cyber Education.

We are also looking for program volunteers. We do not expect everyone to take on a major job. What we need are people willing to take responsibility for specific pieces of these programs. We particularly need volunteers for the Mission Grant Committee and people interested in helping with our expanding education efforts. The need for additional volunteers was one of the clear priorities discussed Wednesday.

At the same time, there is a great deal happening behind the scenes. Nancy Parsons, Iain Parsons’ wife, is working to identify new grant opportunities that could help fund our programs. Although retired, Nancy brings 25 years of experience as a paralegal along with considerable experience in the world of grants. We are getting Chapter leadership and organizational information updated in AFA National’s online records. The Chapter now finally has a permanent mailing address at 1775 E. Palm Canyon Drive #5811, Palm Springs, CA 92263-7254.

We are also working to improve our financial procedures and have now met with a possible bookkeeper to discuss professional accounting support. There are many more responsibilities and reporting requirements involved than simply adding and subtracting from a checkbook ledger. Having our financial records and reporting handled properly is very important to our credibility and our future success.

Fundraising will become increasingly important as these programs grow. We discussed crowdfunding, greater member participation and the need to build sustainable funding for both Mission Grant and our education programs. With more than 500 Chapter members, even relatively small individual contributions can collectively make a significant difference.

There is a lot happening, and much of it has come together in a very short period of time. We are building programs, developing new partnerships, improving the way the Chapter operates and looking for new ways to put our resources to work in the community.

That is why we want to keep everyone updated even when we are not holding a formal business meeting.

And again, thank you to Major Lee Cohen for an informative and engaging presentation, and to everyone who joined us, asked questions, offered ideas and became part of the discussion.

AFA Palm Springs Chapter 134 is moving forward, and there is much more to come.

Thanks!