United States Air Force

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!

/ / 1 Comment

From the Air Force Global Strike Command by Airman 1st Class Bryan Crane, 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs – December 6, 2012

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. —  “Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan,”- Franklin Roosevelt.

President Roosevelt uttered these well-remembered words the day after the Pearl Harbor attacks.

Seventy-one years later, we still remember the fallen victims of that day.

The Pearl Harbor attack, at the time, was the largest enemy assault on United States territory. By the end of the day, more than 2,000 individuals had lost their lives.

Today, we thank those that gave their lives that day, those who defended our home and who would continue the fight throughout World War II.

At 7:55 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, a Japanese force of 183 airplanes attacked U.S. military and naval facilities on Oahu without warning.

For 30 minutes, dive bombers, level bombers and torpedo planes struck airfields and naval vessels. Not only did the attack hit the fleet at Pearl Harbor, but also air bases at Ford Island and Kaneohe Bay, the Marine airfield at Ewa and the Army Air Corps fields at Bellows, Wheeler and Hickam.

After a 15-minute lull, another wave of 170 planes launched a second attack at 8:40 a.m. Japanese aircraft destroyed 151 U.S. planes on the ground and sank or damaged all eight U.S. battleships anchored in Pearl Harbor.

However, not all American assets were damaged in the attack.

“The Japanese success was overwhelming, but it was not complete. They failed to damage any American aircraft carriers, which by a stroke of luck, had been absent from the harbor,” according to the Naval History and Heritage Command.

The next day, the U.S. declared war on Japan and entered World War II, changing the trajectory of the war, and of history.

This flag was flown on the U.S.S. St. Louis at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the day of the Japanese attack. It was later flown on the U.S.S. Iowa in Tokyo Bay at the time of the Japanese surrender in 1945. – National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Keep Watching The Skies!

/ / Leave a comment

“Watch the skies. Everywhere. Keep looking. Keep watching the skies!”. This iconic line is from the 1951 science fiction film “The Thing from Another World”. But in this case many of these launches are clearly seen all the way out here in the Coachella Valley.

Starting in 2026, The U.S. Air Force has approved SpaceX’s proposal to increase launch rates from Vandenberg Space Force Base to up to 100 rockets per year, doubling the previous limit. This approval allows SpaceX to use a second launch complex, SLC-6, which will support up to five Falcon Heavy launches and landings per year, alongside increased Falcon 9 activity at SLC-4. This expansion follows the completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement and a Record of Decision signed on October 10, 2025.

Launch increase: The annual cap will increase from 50 to 100 launches, combining Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy missions.
New launch complex: A second launch complex, Space Launch Complex (SLC)-6, will be used for up to five Falcon Heavy launches and landings annually.
Facility upgrades: The approval includes authorization for new infrastructure, such as a new hangar, to support the increased activity.
Environmental review: The decision was based on a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a Record of Decision signed in October 2025, which concluded that noise impacts would not be significant, though mitigation measures will be implemented.
State opposition: The California Coastal Commission previously opposed the expansion, citing concerns about noise and environmental impacts, but the federal government maintains that launch operations are exempt from state oversight. 

Happy Birthday, United States Air Force

/ / Leave a comment
A Pennsylvania Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker provides fuel for an F-22 Raptor from Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Va., April 2, 2025. The air refueling mission was part of routine proficiency training. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. George Perkins)

On September 18, 1947, with the signing of the National Security Act by President Harry S. Truman, the United States Air Force was established as a separate and independent branch of the Armed Forces. It was the culmination of decades of innovation and sacrifice, from the Wright brothers’ first flight in 1903 to the extraordinary achievements of Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces airmen in World War II.

The roots of the Air Force reach back to the U.S. Army Signal Corps’ Aeronautical Division in 1907, the first military aviation organization in America. Over the next forty years, air power proved decisive: the daylight precision bombing campaigns in Europe, the island-hopping battles of the Pacific, and the strategic lessons learned in global warfare all made clear that air dominance was essential to victory.

With independence came a new mission — global vigilance, reach, and power. From the early Cold War years of the Berlin Airlift in 1948, to the development of long-range nuclear deterrence, to air superiority over Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf, the U.S. Air Force has continuously adapted to meet new threats. Airmen have flown everything from the rugged F-86 Sabre to the B-52 Stratofortress, from the SR-71 Blackbird to the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II, and today they operate on the cutting edge of space and cyber domains.

As we mark the Air Force’s 78th birthday, we honor the more than 685,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian Airmen serving today, and the millions who have served before them. Their dedication and innovation have secured freedom in the air and space, ensuring that the United States remains strong, secure, and always ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Happy 78th Birthday, U.S. Air Force — Aim High … Fly-Fight-Win.

Remembering the Korean War – 75 Years of American Airpower

/ / Leave a comment

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the start of the Korean War — a pivotal moment in the early history of the United States Air Force. Just three years into its existence as a separate branch, the USAF was called into action in its first major combat operation.

The war introduced the world to the age of jet combat, with aircraft like the F-86 Sabre playing a key role in shaping modern aerial warfare. It was a proving ground for tactics, technology, and the valor of American Airmen.

We honor those who served during the Korean War — pilots, crews, and support personnel — whose service helped lay the foundation for the airpower we rely on today.

Image: USAF 75th Anniversary Korean War graphic (2025)

Launch Mission USSF-62

/ / Leave a comment

Do you watch the SpaceX launches online from Vandenberg Space Force Base? This morning’s launch was Mission USSF-62 for U.S. Space Force of a Falcon 9 rocket putting a WSF-M satellite into a low-earth orbit. It is a next-generation spacecraft that “will provide critical and actionable weather intelligence to military operations in all warfighting domains,” according to BAE Systems, which developed and built the satellite. April 11 2024

82nd Anniversary of Doolittle Raid

/ / Leave a comment
An Army B-25 takes off from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet, on its way to take part in first U.S. air raid on the Japanese mainland. (USN)

The Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) is hosting the “Doolittle Raiders Toast,” a heritage event commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the Doolittle Raid in 1942. The ceremony, organized by AFA’s Doolittle Leadership Center, will be held on April 18, 2024, and livestreamed on YouTube. For more information click here.

National Vietnam War Veterans Day

/ / Leave a comment
Today March 29th we honor National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there are more than 7 million U.S. Vietnam veterans living in America and abroad, along with 10 million families of those who served during this timeframe. And we must not forget the 58,281 United States Men and Women who served their country and gave their all.

Just Dropping By

/ / 1 Comment
U.S. Air Force pararescuemen assigned to the 57th Rescue Squadron land near Aviano Air Base, Italy, March 13, 2024. The 57th RQS provides personnel recovery, combat search and rescue, civil search and rescue and casualty evacuation to fulfill U.S. European Command, U. S. Africa Command and NATO security cooperation requirements. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joseph Bartoszek) Airman Magazine March 30 2024