GENERAL BERNARD A. SCHRIEVER LOS ANGELES CHAPTER 147 AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION From The President……. Colleagues, Reflecting on the second quarter, I can categorically state it was full of activity all of us should be pleased with… and proud of. The main event was the Salute to Space and Missile Systems Center and associated festivities on 14-15 May. For forty-one years, our chapter has helped to celebrate individual and team contributions made to National Security Space Pro- grams. This year the ‘Salute’ banquet went off without a hitch and was a great success. Personally, I feel this event is one of the best in our community. Not only do we highlight terrific accomplishments, but we get to meet and spend time with many dedicated Air Force personnel that deserve our full attention and sincere gratitude. The icing on the cake was to have Gen John Hyten accept the National Space Leadership award and share his thoughts. As always, Gen Hyten’s passionate remarks struck many deep chords that re-sensitized the audience about the importance of the space mission, the US Air Force and our country’s security. He is always very enlightening and a true inspiration. A big thank you to Arnie Streland and Don Tomajan for coordination of the awards and to Alison Schneider and Velvet Hooper for their exceptional work to coordinate the entire event. Earlier in the day, our chapter hosted an Executive Forum for about fifty senior leaders in the military space business. Lt Gen Sam Greaves and his management team listened to three panel topics and then engaged in discussion. I was pleased with the full spec- trum of involvement from Industry. We had representation from large and small business, The Aerospace Corporation, the RAND Corporation, and some previous SMC Commanders. Notes are available for your review upon request. Our chapter team of Laura Pope, Jim Knauf, and Steve Pluntze pulled out all the stops and orchestrated a great forum to address some pressing issues facing our space community. On Thursday afternoon preceding the forum and banquet, our chapter arranged for the unveiling of the second set of Schriever Wall of Honor honorees in the courtyard at LAAFB. In my mind, this was another extraordinary opportunity for us to reflect on the incredible accomplishments of the people and organizations dedicated to our nation’s military space business. I must say meeting Honoree Col Tom Haig, who managed DMSP when it transferred to LA in the early 1960s, was a real treat. Hearing about DMSP’s important role during the Cuban Missile Crisis truly gave me the chills. We must never discount the importance of history… it re- peats. As a gesture of appreciation and a reminder, commemorative coins were given to celebrants, family members, donors, for- mer Schriever Award Honorees, SMC leadership, and board members. Many thanks to Chris Kalivas for leading the Schriever Pio- neers planning committee, comprised of Ed Peura, Harry Waldron (History Office), Mitch Mitchell, Marcia Peura, and Karen Austin (History Office). Due to weather, the ceremony was moved from the Schriever Complex Courtyard into the Gordon Conference Cen- ter at the last moment. As you know, the devil is in the details, and Marcia Peura did a spectacular job making sure nothing dropped thru the cracks. Thanks, Marcia! Forgive me if I sound redundant, but clearly we all realize the AFA is all about the peeps. And while cognizant of that, we must be constantly mindful to encourage new memberships and board involvement. AFA National has a goal to build membership to more than 150,000 within the next five years. Our chapter shares in that endeavor, especially in this time of austerity while experiencing persistent and new threats. With space playing a major security role, advocacy, education, and support of Air Force imperatives and programs is critical. On our chapter level, Steve Pluntze is working to add great folks to the board, so please contact him with your ideas. I hope you are enjoying your summer! Steve April, May, June 2015 1 An Independent non-profit Aerospace Organization P.O/ Box 394 El Segundo, CA 90245 Air Force Association Chapter 147 General Bernard A. Schriever Chapter Los Angeles, CA Chairman of the Board: Thomas D. Taverney (Tav), Maj Gen (USAF Ret) 310-218-8903 [email protected] President: Steve Scott Vice President: Steve Pluntze Office: 310-535-3504 Office: 310-653-3480 Mobile: 310-874-4288 [email protected] [email protected] Secretary: Marcia P. Peura Treasurer: Rick Reaser 310-643-5906 Mobile: 310-227-5534 [email protected] [email protected] Community Partners: Joe Boyle Website: http://afa147.org/ Community Partners: Level 2 Level 1 April, May, June 2015 2 An Independent non-profit Aerospace Organization P.O/ Box 394 El Segundo, CA 90245 Schriever Wall of Honor Ceremony, 14 May 2015 Chris Kalivas & Marcia Peura Planning began in early 2015 for the second Schriever Wall of Honor ceremony. Ed Peura and Dr. Harry Waldron of the History Office orchestrated the selection process, and a panel consisting of Ed, Harry, SMC Command Chief Craig Hall, and the presidents of the local NDIA, AFCEA, SCAPR, and AFA chapters selected the six honorees to be submitted to General Greaves for approval. Chris Kalivas headed the Schriever Pioneers planning committee, comprised of Ed and Harry, plus Mitch Mitchell, Marcia Peura, Karen Austin (History Office), Brian Polanco (SMC XP), Capt Cooper and MSgt Silas-Fuentes (SMC), and Capt Smith and Jaime Zamitiz (61 CELS). With detailed planning lists and weekly meetings, Chris put forth a phenomenal effort to keep everyone on schedule. The engraving took place May 2, with Randy Montgomery once again doing the honors. During the second rehearsal for the event, with rain a distinct possibility, Lare Austin filmed the rehearsal’s “wall unveiling,” just in case the ceremony had to be moved inside. We awoke to sunshine on the 14th of May, but it was fleeting. In drought-stricken California, rain was 100% predicted on the one day we planned to be in front of the Schriever Statue and Wall outside in the Schriever Space Complex Courtyard. When it began to rain just before noon, Plan B quickly became the order of the day, and the ceremony was moved inside. Yet, somehow it did not dampen the spirits of those who attended and, if anything, gave a more intimate feeling to the large gathering in the Gordon Conference Center. We were there to honor six men: Col Clarence L. Battle Jr. [Discoverer/Corona], Maj Gen Ben I. Funk [early missiles & space; support to NASA], Col (ret) Thomas O. Haig [DMSP], Col Edward N. Hall [early missiles, Minuteman ICBM], Mr. Joseph J. Knopow [MIDAS (Lockheed)], and Lt Gen Charles H. Terhune Jr. [early missiles & space]. Lt Gen Sam Greaves officiated at the ceremony, and Gen John Hyten and Maj Gen (ret) Tav Taverney also spoke. There were 33 family members, representing all six honorees. The only living honoree, Tom Haig, who would celebrate his 94th birthday on the 12th of June, flew from Wisconsin to attend the ceremony, and he definitely captured the hearts of everyone in attendance. Gen Hyten included Tom Haig in many of his remarks and had everyone laughing when he “confessed” that DMSP was his favorite satellite program. After the three generals spoke, the audience watched the film clip of the velvet cover slowly rising to reveal the newly engraved names on the wall. This was followed by a reading of the citations detailing what each honoree had contributed. The families seemed very touched by the honor bestowed upon the six men and by the ceremony itself. Perhaps Katherine Haig summed it up best: I just wanted to reiterate my sincere thanks for planning and facilitating such a lovely event last Thursday! We all thor- oughly enjoyed ourselves, and my dad was truly touched by the speeches (especially the one by General Hyten) and the opportunity to meet the current DMSP team. He felt celebrated and valued. To have a whole room full of people who un- derstand, respect, and admire what he and the other pioneers accomplished was a priceless and lasting experience (for us AND for him!). The U.S. Post Office forced us into a “Second Plan B” at the VIP reception following the ceremony. President Steve Scott planned to present commemorative coins to all the family members and to the representatives of the aerospace companies who originally spon- sored the Schriever Statue and Wall in 2007. Unfortunately, the coins were “lost” in the mail. They were mailed from San Diego on the 6th of May via Priority Mail and scheduled to arrive here on the 8th. Inexplicably, they were shipped out of California, going first to Salt Lake City, UT, and then to Denver, CO, before finally arriving here two days after the ceremony. Everyone was gracious about the missing coins, and we eventually were able to mail or deliver them to everyone. Randy removing the stencil after the sand blasting The completed Schriever Wall of Honor April, May, June 2015 3 An Independent non-profit Aerospace Organization P.O/ Box 394 El Segundo, CA 90245 We are grateful to the following family members for attending the 2015 ceremony: General Hyten & Col Thomas Haig FUNK FAMILY daughter Judy Albert, Charles Albert great-granddaughter Natalie Cale, son Chris Funk grandson Matthew Funk, Gina Soller BATTLE FAMILY granddaughter Susan Nemar daughter Bobbi Kennedy, Ron Kennedy HALL FAMILY HAIG FAMILY Esther Chicaferro Jeff Plansker, granddaughter Kaya Plansker daughter Sheila Hall Justin Schaefer, daughter Kathy Haig son David Hall honoree Tom Haig TERHUNE FAMILY Doug Lynch, daughter Donna Lynch, granddaughter Debbie Grantham grandson Doug Lynch Jr.