United States Space Force

Happy 79th Birthday United States Air Force

/ Ian L. Sitren / Leave a comment

Today we celebrate the 79th birthday of the United States Air Force.

On September 18, 1947, the United States Air Force officially became an independent military service with the implementation of the National Security Act of 1947. Until then, America’s military aviation had been part of the Army, most recently as the U.S. Army Air Forces. The experience of World War II had demonstrated the importance of air power and the need for a separate military service.

The organization we know today as the Air & Space Forces Association actually predates the Air Force. AFA was founded in 1946 under the leadership of General Jimmy Doolittle, with advancing air power and establishing an independent Air Force among its earliest priorities.

From its beginnings in the years immediately following World War II, the Air Force evolved through the Cold War, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War and decades of operations around the world. Today, its mission reaches far beyond flying aircraft, encompassing global mobility, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, cyber operations, nuclear deterrence and rapidly developing technologies.

Another major evolution came in 2019 with the creation of the United States Space Force as a separate military service within the Department of the Air Force. AFA now represents and supports both Airmen and Guardians.

For AFA Palm Springs Chapter 134, this history is very much a part of who we are. Here in the Coachella Valley, we carry the AFA mission forward through Cyber Education, Teacher of the Year, our relationships with students and educators, Civil Air Patrol and aviation organizations, and our growing connections with veterans, active-duty military and military families.

Educate. Advocate. Support. Those three words defined an important purpose for AFA when it was founded 80 years ago, and they continue to define our mission today.

AFA Palm Springs Chapter 134 proudly recognizes the generations of Airmen who have served our nation and those serving around the world today.

Happy 79th Birthday to the United States Air Force!

Did You Know? The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

/ Ian L. Sitren / Leave a comment

Did you know that the Air & Space Forces Association has an organization devoted specifically to the study of aerospace power and its importance to our national security?

It is the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, an affiliate of AFA and the only aerospace power-focused think tank in our nation’s capital. The Institute is an independent, nonpartisan research organization that informs the national security debate, educates about the essential role of aerospace power, and develops fact-based research, analysis and policy options for decision-makers, experts and the public.

For many of us at AFA Palm Springs Chapter 134, the Mitchell Institute may be one of the less familiar parts of the larger AFA organization. Yet its work addresses many of the issues that are important to the Air Force and Space Force today.

Mitchell examines subjects ranging from air combat and command and control to emerging technologies, unmanned aircraft, air base defense, force design, space superiority and sustaining operations in space. Its work includes research reports, policy papers, workshops, wargames, symposia, roundtables, webinars and the weekly Aerospace Advantage podcast.

There is a great deal more to AFA than what most of us encounter through our local Chapter activities. Part of improving communications at AFA Palm Springs is making sure our members know about resources like the Mitchell Institute and have an opportunity to explore them.

You can learn more about the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies at:

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

September 11, 2001 We Remember 25 Years Later

/ Ian L. Sitren / Leave a comment

Twenty-five years ago today, September 11, 2001, our nation changed forever.

Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives that morning in New York City, at the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. They were people going to work, boarding airplanes, beginning another ordinary Tuesday morning, never knowing how profoundly that day would become part of American history.

We remember them.

We remember the firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel and countless others who ran toward danger while others were trying to escape it.

We remember the passengers and crew of Flight 93, who learned what was happening elsewhere and acted with extraordinary courage.

And we remember the service that followed.

In the years after September 11, an entire generation of Americans answered the call to serve. Members of our Armed Forces deployed around the world, often repeatedly. Their families served alongside them through long separations, uncertainty and sacrifice. For some, that service continues today.

Twenty-five years later, September 11 remains a day to remember those we lost, those who ran toward danger to help others, and those whose lives of service were shaped by what happened that morning.

At AFA Palm Springs Chapter 134, among our members are veterans, military families and people whose lives have been closely connected to the defense of this country. Today is not about politics or policy. It is about remembrance.

We remember September 11, 2001.

We remember the lives lost.

We remember the courage.

We remember the service that followed.

Thank You!

China’s Expanding Presence in Space

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Reading the current Air & Space Forces Almanac 2026, discussions of the space programs of China caught my interest, and I decided to look a little further.

I somewhat knew that China had a significant space program. What I had not appreciated was just how extensive it has become and how many different directions it is going at the same time.

So I started reading.

China today operates its own permanently crewed Tiangong space station. It has an extensive and growing satellite program. It has demonstrated increasingly sophisticated operations between spacecraft in orbit. And it is pursuing an ambitious lunar exploration program with the stated goal of putting Chinese astronauts on the Moon before 2030.

Some of what China has already accomplished is extraordinary simply from the standpoint of space exploration.

In 2024, China’s Chang’e 6 mission landed on the far side of the Moon and successfully returned samples to Earth, the first time samples had ever been returned from the lunar far side. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter actually photographed the Chang’e 6 lander at its landing site in the Apollo basin.

But there is another side of China’s space program that is particularly relevant to those of us in the Air & Space Forces Association.

Space is increasingly a military domain.

The independent Secure World Foundation publishes an annual Global Counterspace Capabilities Report. Its newly released 2026 edition examines the counterspace activities of 13 countries, including the United States, Russia and China. Among the Chinese developments it examines is what it describes as China’s likely on-orbit satellite refueling experiment during much of the second half of 2025.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies has also been following Chinese activities in orbit. Its Space Threat Assessment describes Chinese satellites in both low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit demonstrating increasingly advanced maneuvering capabilities.

That was where my casual reading of the Almanac started becoming much more interesting.

Satellites are no longer simply objects launched into orbit that remain there doing one job. What I was reading discussed rendezvous, proximity operations, maneuvering, servicing and potentially refueling spacecraft in orbit, technologies with both peaceful and military applications.

What I found especially interesting is that China’s activities in space cover a very broad range, including science, exploration, communications, navigation, Earth observation and human spaceflight. At the same time, some of what I was reading also examined the military significance of China’s growing capabilities in space.

Perhaps what surprised me was realizing how much of this has been taking place without most of us paying very much attention.

We watched the American and Soviet space programs unfold almost mission by mission during the original Space Race. Astronauts and cosmonauts became household names. Rockets, Moon landings and spacecraft were front-page news.

Today another enormous expansion of human activity in space is underway, but much of it happens far more quietly.

I certainly don’t pretend to be an expert on China’s space program. This started because I was reading the Air & Space Forces Almanac 2026, became curious, and went looking for more information.

And I found the subject fascinating.

The more I read, the more apparent it became to me that China’s activities in space are something worth learning more about, particularly for those of us whose interests include the United States Air Force and United States Space Force.

Sometimes an Almanac does exactly what it is supposed to do. https://www.airandspaceforces.com

It makes you turn the page, and then go looking for another one.

If you would like to explore further:

China National Space Administration (CNSA)
China’s government agency responsible for civilian space activities and international space cooperation.
https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/english/

China Manned Space Program
The official site for China’s human spaceflight program, including its space station, missions and astronauts.
https://en.cmse.gov.cn/

China’s Space Program: A 2021 Perspective
The Chinese government’s white paper describing its space program, objectives and plans in its own words.
https://english.scio.gov.cn/whitepapers/2022-01/28/content_78016877.htm

NASA: Chang’e 6 on the Far Side of the Moon
NASA’s coverage of its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter photographing China’s Chang’e 6 spacecraft on the lunar far side.
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/lro/nasas-lro-spots-chinas-change-6-spacecraft-on-lunar-far-side/

Secure World Foundation: 2026 Global Counterspace Capabilities Report
Independent analysis of Chinese, U.S., Russian and other nations’ counterspace capabilities.
https://www.swfound.org/publications-and-reports/2026-global-counterspace-capabilities-report

CSIS Space Threat Assessment
Analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies on developments in military space capabilities.
https://aerospace.csis.org/space-threat-assessment-2025/

July 4th Message From Our Chapter President

/ Ian L. Sitren / Leave a comment

President’s 250th Anniversary Message
AFA 134: Bridge to the Future

Dear AFA Palm Springs Members and Friends,

As we honor the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, I am struck by the unique and vital role our chapter plays in the Coachella Valley. More than just an organization, our AFA Palm Springs Chapter serves as a crucial bridge, one that spans generations, technology, and service.

On one side of this bridge stands our rich history and the engaging stories so many of you share about your service to our nation. We all share a deep reverence for the foundations laid by the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, and we carry the enduring values of service, integrity, and excellence that have always defined our nation’s defense.

On the other side of that bridge lies the future. The landscape of our national defense is rapidly shifting toward space, AI driven weapons systems, and cyber warfare. To meet these threats, our nation requires a new generation of dedicated, tech savvy minds.

Our mission as a chapter is to ensure that bridge remains unbreakable.

Through our cyber education programs, such as the Coachella Valley Cyber Cup Challenge and our upcoming hands on Cyber Camp this month, we aren’t just teaching students technical skills. We are helping strengthen our nation’s future defense by teaching teamwork and leadership, and by preparing the next generation to safeguard our space networks, our digital infrastructure, and the technologies that will shape tomorrow’s conflicts.

Every bit of support and advocacy our chapter invests in programs like these helps Coachella Valley students cross the bridge from today’s classrooms to tomorrow’s leadership. Thank you for your years of service, for honoring our past, and for actively supporting our efforts to help secure our nation’s future.

In Service,

Jim

President, AFA Palm Springs Chapter 134

The 2026 Air & Space Forces Almanac Has Arrived

/ Ian L. Sitren / Leave a comment

One of the things I still enjoy is receiving a magazine in the mail.

Call me old fashioned, but there is something satisfying about holding a printed publication in your hands. The battery never runs out. It slips easily into a backpack or briefcase. You can read it at the beach, beside the pool, or in bright sunlight without fighting reflections on a screen. And if you happen to drip nacho cheese on it, you simply wipe it off and keep reading.

The latest issue of Air & Space Forces Magazine has started arriving in members’ mailboxes, and it is one I look forward to every year.

The 2026 Air & Space Forces Almanac is a remarkable 176-page reference filled with current information about the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It covers everything from aircraft inventories, weapons systems, budgets, installations, and organizational structure to personnel statistics, leadership, awards, and much more. It is also packed with outstanding photography and graphics that make it just as enjoyable to browse as it is to study. 

Unlike most magazines that are read once and recycled, this is a publication that stays within easy reach. Throughout the year, I find myself pulling it off the shelf whenever I want to verify a fact, check an aircraft inventory, look up a command, or simply enjoy some excellent aviation photography.

Receiving Air & Space Forces Magazine, including this annual Almanac, is one of the many benefits available to AFA members at qualifying membership levels. It is another reminder that membership is about much more than supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. It also connects you with information and resources that are difficult to find gathered together anywhere else.

If your copy has already arrived, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. If not, keep an eye on your mailbox. I think you’ll find it’s well worth the wait.

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!