AAAA National President, MG (Ret.) Walt Davis, addresses attendees at the April 9, 2025 Army Aviation Congressional Caucus.
As I scribe my last message as your AAAA National President, all indications are that we will have an exceptional Summit, just given the level of attendee registration and the record exhibit commitments from industry and our other partners; and the strong support from our Army and Aviation Branch leadership to develop and deliver a comprehensive and meaningful agenda and program of activities which showcase the strength of the entire Army Aviation community and family. In addition, we will also induct our newest Army Aviation Hall of Fame members, recognize our many outstanding individual and organizational Aviation awardees, and importantly, simply spend time together socially and professionally as a committed community.
This is what the AAAA Missional Solutions Summit is all about, the sole Army Aviation event that brings together our entire community to engage on how best to support our Army, our Branch, and most importantly, our Army Aviation soldiers and families. “Army Aviation: Ready to meet Tomorrow’s Challenges Today” is a most appropriate theme and I want to thank our Branch Chief, MG Clair Gill, for all his support and guidance, along with all the other members of the Aviation General Officers Steering Committee, in the lead up to this years Summit.
I also would like to thank the Branch Chief and the other Aviation GOSC leaders for joining MG (Ret.) Todd Royar, Mr. Bill Harris, and myself at the April 9 ‘re-boot of the Congressional Army Aviation Caucus on Capitol Hill. Well over 125 folks attended the networking reception in the Rayburn Building, to hear from our Caucus Co-Chairs, Ranking Member on Appropriations, Hon. Rosa DeLauro, (D-CT-3), and Hon. Dale Strong, (R-AL-5) along with MG Gill who laid out the Branch priorities, along with remarks from each of the Aviation GOSC leaders.
Well, as I alluded to above, “commanders come and go, and it doesn’t hurt the organization any!” Hard to believe that my term as your AAAA President is ending… time goes by in the blink of an eye. What a privilege it has been! I want to thank the National Executive Group (NEG) team; we could not have a more dedicated, engaged, and supportive group of committed, ‘Soldiers for Life.’ MG (Ret.)Wally Golden, our Senior VP (about to become your AAAA President), thank you for everything and especially for stepping in for me at last year’s event in Denver. BG (Ret.) Tim Edens our Treasurer, and MG Todd Royar our National Secretary, thank you also for all your efforts in keeping this great organization focused, successful and relevant. CW4 (Ret.) Becky Chambers our VP for Membership has done a record-setting job driving us to over 20,000 members and LTC (Ret.) Jan Drabczuk, our VP for Chapters, has managed his own record by growing our AAAA chapters to an all-time high of 83. Amazing results from an amazing team. Again, thank you all… and that goes to the entire AAAA National Executive Board which includes our many Committee Chairs … your committed service to the Association is remarkable!
And finally, my personal thanks to Mr. Bill Harris, our Executive Director, Janis Arena, CW4 (Ret.) Joe Pisano and the entire AAAA professional staff. You all are the Association’s center of gravity and heartbeat… the reason that ‘we are who we are’…completely committed and dedicated to the mission of our great Association and making things happen! Thank you!
As a soon to be a Past AAAA President at the conclusion of this Summit, I will remain engaged as Chairman of the Nominating Committee and look forward to contributing however I can to this great organization whose sole focus is “Supporting the U.S. Army Aviation Soldier and Family”
Above the Best!
MG Walt Davis, U.S. Army Retired
36th President, AAAA
walt.davis@quad-a.org
