09/18/2024
SITREP
Dear Commemorative Partners,
It was a privilege to be a part of this group … to earn the respect of the guys who relied on you to get them
to the fight, and bring them home.
~ 19th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, retired General Norton A. Schwartz
Today, we toast the United States Air Force (USAF) in honor of their
77th anniversary of service to our Nation. To all of those who have
served in the Air Force, both past and present, happy birthday! Enjoy
this special video tribute in your honor as we salute you.
This month we feature the service
of three USAF Vietnam veterans:
Schwartz, as quoted above, Flight
Nurse Joan Craigwell, and Airborne Intercept Specialist David
Williams. Watch brief footage of their oral histories in this short
preview, or enjoy the full seven-minute video, highlighting some of
the memorable moments of their service during Vietnam. In addition
to these distinguished interviews, download our three-part poster series
Air Base Defense in the Vietnam War and single Air Force Service
Patch Poster as we celebrate our airmen all this month.
As we gear up for a strong end of year finish, a few reminders. First, our educational posters remain
accessible by download only. Second, just three months remain to become a Commemorative Partner!
The submission deadline for these applications is December 31. Finally, remember to submit your event
requests for support through the Partner portal as early as possible. March 15, 2025 is the last day event
requests (DD2956) will be accepted, and March 31 will be our last full day of providing event support.
A final word for those attending or interested in the Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) public tram tour
on Friday, September 27: the tour is full! ANC has established a standby list, so for those not yet registered
and interested in standby placement, plan to arrive at their Welcome Center by 10:30 a.m. the day of the tour.
Members of the History Office will apprise individuals of space availability at that time. Locate the full tour
event details via the public tram tour site.
In conclusion, we remember and pay tribute to our Gold Star Mothers and families in honor of Gold Star
Mother’s and Family’s Day on Sunday, September 29. Eighty-eight years ago, Congress set this day
aside to honor Gold Star Mothers, and 12 years ago, it was expanded to include and embody the loss shared
by the entire family. Remember and honor their sacrifices on this solemn national day of observance.
