Chapter News

Visit the AFA Cyber Camp This Thursday or Friday

/ Ian L. Sitren / Leave a comment
Students participate in the Air & Space Forces Association Palm Springs Chapter 134 Summer Cyber Camp at the College of the Desert Information Technology Center. The week-long program introduces high school students to cybersecurity through hands-on instruction, computer networking, cyber defense exercises, and mentoring by industry professionals and Air & Space Forces Association volunteers. The camp is supported through community grants, including funding from the Anderson Children’s Foundation and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.

I had the opportunity to spend Tuesday at our AFA Summer Cyber Camp, and I came away genuinely impressed. The facility, the instructors, and especially the students exceeded my expectations. This is a first-class program that demonstrates exactly what our Air & Space Forces Association is all about by inspiring and preparing the next generation of technology and cybersecurity professionals.

If you have a few hours available, I encourage you to stop by on Thursday or Friday and experience the camp for yourself.

Thursday, July 16 (9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.)

Students will present the AI projects they have developed throughout the week as Professor Marhuenda-Donate and Jose Ramirez return to review their work and discuss the results.

Friday, July 17 (9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)

Graduation Day features team cyber competitions, awards, presentations by Indio High School Information Technology instructor Mark Brenner, and the participation of parents and families. Representatives from the offices of Congressman Ken Calvert and Congressman Raul Ruiz will present Congressional Certificates to every camper before everyone celebrates with a well-earned pizza party.

The camp is located in the College of the Desert Library, in the center of the campus.

Enter the campus from Fred Waring Drive, follow the signs, park in Lot 5, and walk north past the gymnasium to the library. Please do not confuse it with the Public Library near the campus entrance. Once inside the College of the Desert Library, take the elevator to the basement level and enter the glass doors leading to the Information Technology Center.

I hope many of our members will take the opportunity to visit. Seeing these students at work, meeting the instructors, and experiencing the professionalism of this program firsthand is the best way to appreciate the impact our chapter is making in the community. It is an outstanding example of the Air & Space Forces Association mission in action, and I believe you’ll leave as impressed as I was.

I will personally be there again on Friday, and I hope to see many of you there.

Ian L. Sitren

Cyber Camp Begins Next Week – Visit, Support, and See What’s New at AFA Palm Springs

/ Ian L. Sitren / Leave a comment

Cyber Camp begins next week, and it is one of the most important programs our chapter conducts each year.

Its importance is reflected in the generous support we have received from our community, including a recent grant from the Anderson Children’s Foundation and previous funding from the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. Their confidence in our program is helping us prepare the next generation of cyber professionals and technology leaders.

Joining our members who will be staffing the camp—including Jim McFarlin, Tony Della-Moretta, and Jose Ramirez—I will also be there on Tuesday and Friday photographing the activities and documenting the week.

I would encourage our members to take some time during the week to stop by, see the program in action, and show your support for these outstanding students. The camp runs Monday through Friday, and the complete schedule is available on our website:

AFA 2026 Summer Cyber Camp Schedule

While you’re there, I also invite you to explore the website if you haven’t visited recently—or even in the past few days. We’ve added new sections, updated the calendar, and made a number of improvements. The site will continue to grow as we develop it into the central communication and information resource for our members, prospective members, and visitors.

The website is easy to remember… AFAPalmSprings.org

We look forward to seeing many of you at Cyber Camp next week.

And remember, our Air Commandos Lunch is this coming Wednesday, July 15th. Everyone is welcome.

A New Way to Join the Air & Space Forces Association Free!

/ Ian L. Sitren / Leave a comment

The Air & Space Forces Association has introduced something completely new.

For the first time, AFA now offers a free Mission Membership. This new membership makes it easier than ever for anyone with an interest in our Air Force, Space Force, aerospace, aviation, STEM education, or national security to become part of the AFA community. Again, membership is open to everyone.

Mission Membership provides access to AFA news, educational programs, webinars, research, national events, and local Chapter activities. Whether you have served in the military, work in aerospace, are a student, educator, or simply support the mission of the Air & Space Forces Association, there is now a place for you in AFA at absolutely no cost.

This is also a tremendous opportunity for AFA Palm Springs Chapter 134.

Every new member strengthens our Chapter and helps us expand our educational programs, CyberPatriot, community outreach, aerospace education, and partnerships throughout the Coachella Valley. The more members we have, the more we can accomplish.

If you are already an AFA member, thank you for your continued support.

If you know someone who has ever thought about joining AFA, now is the perfect time. Invite your family, friends, neighbors, fellow veterans, active duty military, educators, students, pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and anyone interested in aerospace and our nation’s defense.

Joining is easy.

Simply visit:

Join AFA

When completing your registration, please be sure to select Palm Springs Chapter 134. That simple step helps strengthen our local Chapter and ensures you receive information about our activities, meetings, educational programs, and special events.

It costs nothing.

It only takes a few minutes.

We look forward to welcoming many new members to AFA Palm Springs Chapter 134.

Thank You!

AFA Palm Springs Returns to Regular Chapter Communications and CyberPatriot Updates

/ Ian L. Sitren / Leave a comment

One thing became very clear after many conversations at our Air Commandos lunches.

Our Chapter has been doing a lot of good things.

The problem wasn’t the lack of activity. It was the lack of communication.

Many of us simply didn’t know what was happening.

That changes now.

One of the best examples is our Cyber Education program under the leadership of Jim McFarlin. It has developed into one of the most exciting and successful parts of our Chapter, yet many members know very little about it. Over the coming weeks Jim will be introducing everyone to the program with regular updates explaining what it is, who is involved, what is happening, and where it is headed.

The next major event is the AFA CyberPatriot Summer Cyber Camp at College of the Desert, July 13 through 17. It introduces high school students to cybersecurity, operating systems, networking, cryptography, incident response, online safety, and much more. It is exactly the kind of program that helps prepare the next generation for careers protecting our nation’s digital infrastructure.

Our Chapter is a major part of making this camp happen, and it deserves our support.

So…find a clean pair of pants and maybe a shirt without chili stains. More information will be coming very soon.

As part of improving communication, I have once again assumed responsibility for the Chapter’s website, Facebook page, and online communications. As many of you know, I turned those responsibilities over to the Chapter in December 2025. Since then, our online presence has been largely inactive.

That changes today.

You can expect regular updates, timely information about Chapter activities, stories about our members and programs, upcoming events, photographs, and the kinds of things that keep us informed about what is happening throughout our organization.

There is a tremendous amount of positive momentum within AFA Palm Springs. Our job now is simply to make sure everyone knows about it.

More to come…