Winter Dinner Event

Please click here for information and registration for this year's dinner event in Washington, DC.

2005 TSA Annual Meeting Recap

The Spaatz Association met in St. Louis during the CAP National Convention. In a focused but productive meeting, results of on-line elections were announced, the previous year reviewed and discussions held to set future direction.

The meeting kicked off with a special visit from former CAP Cadet, Spaatz Award recipient and now NASA Astronaut (Pilot), Lt. Col. Eric Boe, USAF. He shared a picture of himself as a fledgling Cadet Officer posed by a model of the Space Shuttle. "If I only knew then…" Lt. Col. Boe mused, and then told about his years as a CAP Cadet and a Cadet Colonel and how these shaped his career path toward space flight.

National President Stephen Austen outlined key accomplishments of the Association during our 2004/2005 programming year.

On-going Initiatives -- "Irons In The Fire"

The 2005/2006 Program Year -- "Ideas and Champions wanted!"

Join the TSA Forums to share your ideas!

Spaatz Association Salutes Cadet Program

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA--Members of CAP's Board of Governors and National Board, led by Lt. Gen. Nicholas Kehoe, USAF (ret.), Maj. Gen. Dwight Wheless, CAP/CC, Brig. Gen. Tony Pineda, CAP/CV and CAP's Executive Director Col. Al Allenback, USAF (ret.) joined members of The Spaatz Association at their celebration of our "Aerospace Leaders of Tomorrow".

"The Cadet Program holds a special place for members of The Spaatz Association," observed TSA National President Stephen Austen in his welcoming remarks, "We are not merely proponents of the Cadet Program, we are the very products of that Program. We simply would not be here without the enduring stewardship of CAP leaders and Cadet Program professionals and they have our profound appreciation."

This was the third in what has become an annual dinner for CAP leaders and Spaatz recipients everywhere. The focus of this year's event was to recognize and appreciate Cadets and Cadet Program officials for their devotion to developing today's young people their quest to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Air Force Brigadier General Ted Bowlds offered authoritative insights on the future of air power. General Bowlds is the Deputy for Acquisition, Aeronautical Systems Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Colonel Bob Mattes, USAF of the Defense Intelligence Agency and Emcee for the evening updated regarding the War On Terror. Both of these fine leaders are former Civil Air Patrol Cadets and Spaatz Award recipients. Their unique "insider" perspectives were of special relevance to the world that our young people will be living in.

Mr. Carl Andrew Spaatz Thomas - grandson of Gen. Carl A. Spaatz -- shared reminisces of the General about his views and practice of motivational leadership. The General led literally thousands of young airmen in the mighty contest of World War II.

The evening was highlighted with the award of three of the Association's Aerospace Leadership Scholarships. Each $2,500 scholarship will help those deserving young people pursue their dreams of securing a private pilot's license. To date The Spaatz Association has awarded over $30,000 in flying scholarship to CAP Cadets, thanks to the generous endowments of Col. Louisa S. Morse, CAP (ret.) and Association members under the faithful stewardship of Col. Bob Mattes, USAF.

These were awarded to C/Major Andrew Sutton (Lexington Composite Squadron - SCWG), C/Capt. Richard Barnard (Tallahassee Composite Sq - FlWG) and C/2LT Devin Keigley Shelbyville Composite Sq. - INWG).

There were also special presentations of several CAP Cadet Program awards; each a significant benchmark in their progress through that program.

C/Colonel Jeremy Lamonte of Texas Wing received his General Carl A. Spaatz Award in a star-studded presentation by Maj Gen Dwight Wheless, CAP National Commander; Brig Gen. Tony Pineda, CAP Vice Commander and Brig. Gen Ted Bowlds, USAF, Spaatz recipient and the evenings keynote speaker. Amelia Earhart Awards were also presented to Cadets Jake Fuentes (New Mexico Wing) and Shawna Bell (Ohio).

Next year's event is now on the drawing board and is planned for Saturday, 4 March 2006 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott hotel. The Spaatz Association has formed a planning team under the leadership of Mr. Curt LaFond to assure next year's event will be the best yet! Spaatzen everywhere are invited to mark their calendars, as are all members of CAP's Board of Governors and National Board.

2004 Election Results

This weekend, Mike Murphy and his TSA Election Commission Team completed their tabulation and validation of ballots for TSA national officers for the coming year, and I am pleased to announce the following results:

Because of the delayed nature of this year's election (beyond the usual venue at the TSA National Meeting in conjunction with the CAP Summer National Board Meeting), I feel that the election results should have immediate effect. I discussed this matter today with President-Elect Steve Austen and outgoing TSA Secretary Mike Murphy, and they concur; therefore, the above results will be effective tonight [10 Oct 04] at midnight ET.

One last item of business: Steve's election to the office of TSA National President vacates the TSA National Vice President's chair occupied by Steve over the last year. For that reason, Steve will soon lead the TSA Board through the selection process delineated by the TSA Constitution in cases of out-of-cycle position vacancies on the TSA Board.

As I conclude my four years as TSA National President, I thank all of you and your predecessors on the TSA Board for the absolutely outstanding leadership and selfless devotion that you have demonstrated in furthering the mission of TSA, mentoring CAP cadets across the country, and perpetuating the TSA Aviation Leadership Scholarship (ALS) program. I am especially indebted to Steve Austen, Mike Murphy, Tim Cheslock, and the many members of the TSA Board over the last four years who have made The Spaatz Association an organization of which all of you can be proud--and which today is also a source of pride and satisfaction for Carla Spaatz Thomas, Carl A. Spaatz Thomas, and all other members of the Spaatz family with whom we've interacted. I also single out Robert J. Mattes for his quiet, behind-the-scenes leadership of our ALS program, which is of course our signature program that has had the most far-reaching effect on the young lives we seek to impact through TSA. I also thank Matthew M. Johnson for his steadfast stewardship of our TSA website for these many years, which has been a key element in making TSA a 21st century organization and in keeping our membership and the general public informed as we have sought to perpetuate and honor the memory of General Tooey Spaatz.

I leave CONUS on Tuesday for five days in Singapore to discuss the potential sale of F-15 fighters to the Republic of Singapore Air Force and will return to Washington next Saturday. By that time, the new TSA Board will be rolling at full strength under Steve's capable leadership and your engaged participation. Best of luck and Godspeed to all of you--I look forward to supporting your efforts and the purposes, programs, and mission of TSA in a renewed capacity in the not-too-distant future!

Warmest regards,
Rich Anderson

TSA Annual Meeting Announced

Arrangements for The Spaatz Association's Annual Meeting have been finalized and YOU ARE INVITED!

Mark Saturday 21 August on your calendar and plan to join us in Tampa, Florida. Our meeting will convene in conjunction with CAP's National Board Meeting at the Tampa Marriott Waterfront Hotel and Marina.

Our meeting is scheduled from 1400 to 1700 in the "Florida Salon 1" conference room and we anticipate a full agenda for your consideration. Chief among these will be our annual elections.

As we join to elect a new National President and National Secretary, members will face several important choices. Five seats on TSA's Board of Directors will also be filled. These elections are especially important, they will help to chart the future for our organization.

We will also announce the outcome of this year's Aerospace Leadership Scholarship selection process. Under Colonel Bob Mattes' careful stewardship, our ALS is marking nearly a decade of awarding deserving Cadets the life-changing opportunity to earn their private pilot wings.

This year, TSA will award up to three scholarships in a special presentation at the CAP National Board Meeting.

Join us as we celebrate our past, recognize the present and plan for the future of The Spaatz Association!

Viva Las Vegas!

With a variety of members and guests in attendance, TSA's 2003 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas was productive and fun. Election ballots were opened and tallied, with Steve Austen (#161) being elected National Vice President and Bobbie Tourville (#940) and Lee Chase (#1079) joining the TSA board. We welcomed Steven R. Gullberg II (#1465) as our newest lifetime member--a gift from his father, Steve "senior" (#439), also a Spaatz Award recipient and TSA lifetime member.

Discussion topics included the success of TSA coin development and sales, the 2003 Aerospace Leadership Scholarship recipients, and the TSA Mission Brief that our President, Rich Anderson, presented to the National Board this year. Additionally, we exchanged ideas about our upcoming 2004 TSA Dinner in Washington D.C. Stay tuned to http://www.spaatz.org for details.

National President Rich Anderson (#193) presented limited edition TSA coins to CAP Executive Director Al Allenback and CAP-USAF commander Colonel George Vogt for their support of the 2003 winter dinner event. And finally, evening leisure time was spent indulging in food, spirits, and camaraderie. Visit the 2003 Annual Meeting Photo Gallery to view pictures from Las Vegas.

First-Ever "Winter Leadership Symposium" A Rousing Success!

WASHINGTON, DC -- More than twenty-five recipients of the Civil Air Patrol General Carl A. Spaatz Award and 75 guests--including members of General Spaatz's family and senior Air Force and CAP leaders--gathered on the evening of March 1st at the Army and Navy Club in Washington, DC, for the first-ever Winter Leadership Symposium of The Spaatz Association (TSA). TSA is a national service organization whose membership consists of the 1500 recipients of the Spaatz Award since the award's inception in 1965. TSA exists as a separate and distinct corporation from CAP and seeks to mentor present-day CAP cadets through various programs, the most prominent of which is TSA's Aerospace Leadership Scholarship (ALS) grant program, which awards several $2500.00 scholarships each year to deserving cadets who have already soloed a powered aircraft and who desire to earn an FAA private pilot certificate. Interested CAP cadets may find additional information on the ALS grant program at the TSA Web site at http://www.spaatz.org.

Air Force Colonel Richard L. Anderson, former CAP National Commander and current TSA National President who is also Chief of the Air Force Auxiliary Division in the HQ USAF Directorate of Homeland Security at the Pentagon, welcomed the guests to this inaugural event by recounting the contributions of General Spaatz to the Air Force and CAP. After dinner, the centerpiece event of the gathering unfolded with the unveiling of TSA's Spaatz Commemorative Coin to memorialize the life, service, and contributions of General Spaatz as the first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, followed by over 10 years of service as the first Chairman of the CAP National Board, the position that we now know as CAP National Commander.

In fitting manner, attendees dined in the same facilities frequented by General Spaatz and his wartime colleagues at the Army and Navy Club in Washington. During the course of the evening, Dr Mervin K. Strickler, former Director of Aerospace Education at CAP National Headquarters in the 1950s during General Spaatz's tenure as CAP National Board Chairman, recounted the General's pivotal role in ensuring the continuation of the World War II Civil Air Patrol as a peacetime Auxiliary of the US Air Force after cessation of hostilities.

Dr Strickler was followed by General Spaatz's youngest daughter, Ms Carla Spaatz-Thomas, who regaled the group with humorous and serious anecdotes about General Spaatz and her childhood experiences as one of his three daughters. Ms Spaatz-Thomas was accompanied to the dinner by her son, Mr Carl A. Spaatz-Thomas, who is also the grandson of General Spaatz.

A very special highlight of the evening was presentation of the General Carl A. Spaatz Award to two recipients, Capt (former Cadet Colonel) Andrew J. Welch of the Illinois Wing and Cadet Colonel Louis R. Gabriel of the Hawaii Wing. The awards were jointly presented by Air Force Lt Gen Donald A. Lamontagne, commander of the Air Force's Air University at Maxwell AFB, AL, and CAP Maj Gen Richard L. Bowling, National Commander of Civil Air Patrol. A special honor was bestowed on Capt Welch and Cadet Colonel Gabriel by the participation of Ms Spaatz-Thomas in the award ceremony.

The final event of the evening was the keynote address given by Air Force Brig Gen David E. Clary, Air Force Director of Homeland Security and the Air Force's senior Pentagon official who oversees the policy, guidance, and advocacy process for CAP at Headquarters US Air Force. Gen Clary addressed the critical role that Homeland Security plays in planning for today's Air Force, as well as the critical role that the Civil Air Patrol will play as the Air Force Auxiliary when it is tasked with Homeland Security missions. Gen Clary, along with the other distinguished guests, was presented with a special Spaatz Commemorative Coin for his participation in this historic event.

Among other distinguished guests in attendance were Mr. Michael L. Dominguez, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs; Retired Air Force Lt Gen Nicholas B. Kehoe, former chair and newly elected vice chair of the CAP Board of Governors; and CAP Col Robert C. Bess, newly elected chair of the CAP Board of Governors.