President’s Cockpit / MG Tim Crosby, U.S. Army Retired:
Well, it is finally here, our first AAAA Annual Summit in three years. It has been some roller coaster ride through years of pandemic, shut-downs, masks, social distancing and all the rest. Let’s pray it is finally coming to a close.
I want to first thank all our 18,000-plus members and especially our 79 chapters, for all you have done and endured during these most difficult times. You and your families have inspired all of us on the National Executive Board, and me personally as I have travelled to almost half our chapters over the last year.
Special thanks also to MG Jeff Schloesser who helped steer us through two cancelled Summit’s and in fact is the only AAAA President to have never presided over our annual meeting. As Jeff noted, it would have been easier to hold the summits.
Also want to recognize our Branch Chief, MG Dave Francis; he could not have been more supportive and encouraging through all this. In fact, the entire “Six Pack” leadership has stepped up to support you, our members, going above and beyond to keep our association strong.
As we gather together April 3-5, 2022, we have yet another record year of scholarship awards, record exhibit sales and record attendance at this year’s Summit. We are also launching our new Trade-school, Licensing, and Certification Foundation to help you get you’re A&P, CDL, or whatever skill certification you need to succeed in the future. We will be presenting our normal annual awards but also some AAAA Presidential Awards from the last two years and for this year. I will be asking Jeff Schloesser to help me present the awards from his tenure.
From the chapter workshops to the closing Soldier Appreciation Concert this event is all about our total community from junior Soldier to senior leader, to retired, veterans, and members of industry. This is the biggest Army Aviation event of the year and time to pause to reflect, rekindle old friendships, make new ones, and contribute to the critical conversation to find training, materiel, and doctrine solutions to the many challenges we face around the world.
We will be working all four pillars of the AAAA Mission Statement hard during the Summit. Networking, Recognition, Voice and Support are what AAAA is all about. Make sure you participate so together we can best achieve the AAAA Mission “Supporting the U.S. Army Aviation Soldier and Family.” If you can’t make it to the Summit, take a few minutes to go online and update your contact info and your chapter affiliation on the AAAA website.
As we come together for our first opportunity since the Cribbins Symposium back in November, let’s stay mindful of all the past sacrifices that have been made by our Army Aviation Family, and let’s look forward enthusiastically to what lies ahead for us and our AAAA professional organization.
I look forward to seeing you around the exhibit floor and the various professional program events at the Summit.
See you there.
MG Tim Crosby, U.S. Army Retired
35th President, AAAA
