Flight Plan

At this time of the year we hear the heads of many groups reporting the state of their organizations. So I believe ANA should follow suit. We are a unique organization and one of which we all should be very proud. And this year I can report that all indicators are pointed "UP' and the state of ANA is excellent.

For the last two years the financial status of the organization has not been what it should be. Our investment fund followed the trend of the stock market - as did all our personal investments - as it plunged. Each month's report got bleaker. RADM Jess Hernandez is our financial advisor and he kept our head above water throughout the troubled times. We are fortunate to have his advice. Our average loss was not as large as the national average. Now, with the recent rise of the market our fund has risen to about two thirds of its value in 2001 and predictions are that it will continue to improve. I believe the long-term financial status of ANA is back on track.

Our cash-on-hand status got even worse than investments during late 2002 and most of 2003. We had to take some drastic steps. The biggest one was raising the dues $5 per year. Thankfully, my predecessors had kept the dues at a low level so that the $5 addition did not make our annual dues any larger than the majority of other associations. And YOU the members did not back away from us. By your support we achieved financial security and closed 2003 in the black. A very sincere thanks to all of you. We are certainly not rich, but our projections for the future give us reason to believe we can maintain this positive status over the coming years. My personal thanks to Eric Wheeler, our secretary/Treasurer and RADM Jay Yakeley, Chairman of the Finance Committee. They very carefully analyzed the Association's accounting and budgeting procedures to ensure we are doing things right. They came up with several recommendations to change the way we do business. Those changes were incorporated and have helped enormously.

We also asked our Life Members if they would like to help our financial situation by a contribution. They came through for the Association even more strongly that we had hoped. Our life members have been the first to offer support when it is needed. So I thank all them for their contributions.

Another bright spot has been our membership renewals. These have reached an all-time high. We made renewals easier by revising our renewal form and including a self addressed envelope for your use. It worked, and we certainly appreciate all of you who stick with us and recognize the important work being done for our naval aviation forces by ANA. And new membership has increased. The ACES program is working and more and more of you are out there recruiting. Stay with it, this will keep us alive.

Our solid financial situation has allowed us to start giving a one year complimentary membership in ANA to all newly winged Naval Aviators. The program started in the last quarter of 2003 and we now have distributed memberships to 86 new aviators. We will monitor this program carefully to ensure these newest aviators take ANA with them through their careers.

I know you are tired of hearing about our data base problems, and I believe the enormous amount of work the staff has done has finally brought the data base up to a point that we can have confidence in it. We are no longer sending free magazines to veterans of the Spanish American war. The base is cleaned up and we are approaching having a very accurate count of our membership - it is in the mid 9,000 range now. I had hoped that number would be larger, but the data base purges of expired memberships balanced the addition of new members. I anticipate that 2004 will show real growth in the association and that we can top 10,000 members soon.

I also need to salute our Industrial Associate Members. They are listed on our masthead page, and all of them should be thanked for their strong support of ANA. They support our convention, advertise in Wings of Gold, and are always there when needed. So, if you know anybody who works for these great companies, please take the time to say "Thanks." Their innovation and technological breakthroughs maintain the strength of Naval Aviation's weapon systems.

From the President

The status of the association reflects enormous work by the staff, the Board of Directors, and mostly by you the membership. Our squadrons are providing extremely interesting programs in their meetings and as a result, are bringing in new people. Individuals are spreading the word and also enlarging our membership roles. This is what we are about and I express my humble appreciation to all of you for your dedication to ANA, our active duty Navy, Marine and Coast Guard forces. Your support will help ensure they remain the best in the world.

While writing this article I was notified of the death of ADM Thomas Moorer, USN (Ret). As you know, ADM Moorer was one of the primary drivers in establishing ANAand was Chairman of the Board Emeritus and also the President of the Naval Aviation Foundation until the time of his death. It is difficult to describe how much this great man did for his country, Naval Aviation and your Association. This issue was nearly complete when we were notified, so we are cutting this article short and deleting my schedule in order to have room for the notification of Admiral Moorer's passing. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family with our thanks for sharing him with all of us through the years. We are planning to dedicate our next issue of Wings of Gold to the Admiral and to give full coverage of his dedicated life. For now, we wish him "Fair Winds and Following Seas."

RADM P.D. Smith, USN (Ret.)

Copyright Association of Naval Aviation Winter 2003
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved