Chapter Spotlight

The AFCEA Northern Virginia Chapter has provided $350,000 in funding to the Fairfax County Public Schools and the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Center to develop a four part series of “Electronic Field Trips” about the science and technology of aviation. The four episodes will provide a lasting resource to encourage the interest of children in math, science & engineering across the nation.  

Flight School: Inspired to Fly, the first of the four electronic field trips for students, is designed to illustrate the principles and practices of early powered flight, as it highlights the careers of men and women who are motivated to make things soar. Through interactive technology and the ability to connect directly with teachers and students across the country, the Fairfax County Public Schools’ production reached over 19 thousand schools making the term “electronic field trip” come alive to 15 million plus students in grades four through eight. The next edition of Flight School airs in the fall of 2007.

To celebrate this grant and the success of Flight School, AFCEA NOVA has joined the U.S. Air Force in sponsoring a “Family Day & Aviation Fly-in” at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, on Saturday, June 16, 10am - 3pm.   The event is free for families and all members of the public are invited.  Information is available at www.afceanova.org/familyday.

The AFCEA Lexington-Concord Chapter Young AFCEANs recently dontated time and savings bonds to the 24th annual Massachusetts MATHCOUNTS program. Held March 10 at the Wentworth Institute of Technology, approximately 150 students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades competed to determine who will represent Massachusetts in the national competition in Fort Worth, Texas May 10-13, 2007.

The Young AFCEANs provided over 15 volunteers to help grade and proctor the competition. In addition, they generously offered four $1000 savings bonds to the top four students. The recipients were: David Field (West Middle School – Andover, MA), Kevin Wen (Diamond - Lexington MA), Elizabeth Synge (Voyagers Home School - Acton, MA) and Carl Lian (Jonas Clarke - Lexington, MA).

Lexington-Concord Chapter Members Offer $1000 savings bonds to each of the Massachusetts MATHCOUNTS winners. FRONT ROW, L TO R: David Field (West Middle School – Andover, MA), Kevin Wen (Diamond - Lexington MA), Elizabeth Synge (Voyagers Home School - Acton, MA) and Carl Lian (Jonas Clarke - Lexington, MA). BACK ROW, L TO R: Matthew Heideman, Chapter VP for Young AFCEANs Industry, Bob Kennedy, AFCEA Northeast Regional VP, Patrick Thompson, U.S. Coast Guard, and Dan Visosky, Chapter VP for Young AFCEANs Military.

The State MATHCOUNTS competitions are sponsored by the Massachusetts Society of Professional Engineers (MSPE), and held in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.  They are the culmination of individual chapter competitions for over 125,000 6th to 8th grade students representing more than 6,000 schools. MATHCOUNTS is a nationwide program designed to increase enthusiasm for, and advancement in, middle school mathematics at a crucial stage for developing and sustaining interest and ability in math which fall directly in line with AFCEA's Charter.  For more information visit www.mathcounts.org.

The AFCEA Alamo Chapter is proud to announce that it has officially entered into a scholar agreement with the University of Texas, San Antonio. The Chapter has pledged $100,000 over a four year period to be awarded to students enrolled in technology-oriented degree plans. The first scholarships will be awarded in the 2007-2008 academic year and will continue through 2010.

From The Daily Dispatch

Cochise College invites Cochise County middle and high school students to participate in the annual Computer Olympics to be held March 2 at the Sierra Vista Campus. Sponsored by the AFCEA Cochise College Sub-Chapter of the Southern Arizona Chapter in conjunction with Cochise College, the Computer Olympics is a chance for students to take part in computer-related contests such as word processing, programming, keyboarding, and web page design. Middle and high school students compete separately, and the event is open to age-appropriate home school and public school children in Cochise County. Computer Olympics includes an optional continental breakfast at 7:40 a.m., a welcome at 8:15 a.m., and competitions at 8:30 a.m. Middle school awards will be at 12:35 p.m., and high school awards will be at 1:15 p.m. Lunch is provided. For more information or to register students as participants, contact AFCEA Advisor Dan Guilmette at (520) 515-5431 or guilmetted@cochise.edu.

The AFCEA Fort Belvoir Chapter has provided thousands of scholarship dollars to deserving students. The Chapter maintains close relationships with officials in local junior and high schools augmenting math and science programs. The chapter undertook a special project affecting 100 children in Virginia's Spotsylvania County's Preschool Programs. The chapter provided math and science books with materials. The chapter received a teacher’s letter of appreciation saluting their vision. "With recent legislative cuts to the education budgets, along with the No Child Left Behind mandates, your contribution to our classrooms will help offset those financial cuts and the impact that they have on the teachers and students. We are all so excited to be able to use your donations to supplement our classroom materials and learning experiences. The materials will be used for many years to come and will go a long way in helping our students progress in their early learning years."

The AFCEA Middle Georgia Chapter is a co-sponsor, along with Northrop Grumman Space Technology, of the Future Scientist and Engineers of America (FSEA) program being held at Russell Elementary School. The after school program has been held for one hour every week for the past 10 years at the school with the same devoted orchestrators. Mr. Keith Lauritsen, Russell Elementary School Principal, is grateful for the commitment this team of engineers has made to this program over the years, and recognizes the demand it has placed on their personal and professional lives.

Russell Elementary's Principal, Fifth Grade Teacher, and Fifth Grade Students join Middle Georgia Chapter president Tim Birdsell to accept a $1000 donation to the school's FSEA program.

The team of engineers, led by Mr. Greg Taylor, includes Dr. Doug Moody, Mr. Scott Bennett and Mr. Joseph Barroso.  They have been providing an introduction to engineering principles to about 20-25 youth for the past 10 years.  The team typically guides the youth through 5-7 projects during the school year.  Ms. Vicki Smith, 5th Grade Teacher and FSEA monitor at Russell, said that the children are very lucky to have such wonderful instructors—which is evidenced by the waiting list each year to get into the program.

FSEA supplies kits to develop an interest in science and engineering that are targeted for specific grade levels.  The project the children just completed focused on building a tower-like structure out of plastic drinking straws, with the goal of supporting the maximum weight.  The children were grouped in teams of 2 and given 50 straws.  The parameters of the task that they had to comply with were the structure had to be 18” tall ±1/2”, the top of the structure had to be a minimum of 2 square inches (for placement of the weights) and ½” wide masking tape could only be used at the joints.

The top finishers of this project were: 1st Place – Dallas Johnson, Lacy Stuart, and Lauren Proux, assisted by Ajacia Davis and Haley Dorris, 5 lbs 8 oz; 2nd Place – Christina Hill and Danielle Fee, 4 lbs 0 oz; and 3rd Place – Will Nobles and Garrett Allen, 3 lbs 14 oz.

The Middle Georgia AFCEA Chapter is actively supporting an increase in interest in engineering fields in the Middle Georgia area through programs such as this, scholarships, grants and other activities.  To find out more about this Chapter go to www.afcea-middlegeorgia.org or email Tim Birdsell at tim.birdsell@mtctechnologies.com.

Shelby West and Lyric Johnson look on in anticipation as weights are added to their structure.
The first, second, and third place finishers in the latest FSEA project.

LAGER AULENBACH, Germany - After two days of fierce winds and driving rain, over 200 runners from many of the 41 nations participated in the Combined Endeavor 2006 exercise enjoyed their day off by participating in a 5 kilometer run on May 21. The run was sponsored by local AFCEA Stuttgart Chapter.

Runners from 41 nations begin to run in the Combined Endeavor 5K Fun-Run held in Baumholder, Germany, May 21, 2006. Combined Endeavor, a U.S. European command sponsored multinational exercise representing 41 partner nations, is the largest security cooperation and communications and information system military exercise in the world. (U.S. Air Force photo) (Released)

Although prizes were awarded to top finishers, the event was a fun-run, one of many opportunities for social interaction between the Combined Endeavor participants throughout the two week exercise. The top finisher for the run was Norwegian Army Cpl. Anders Olsen with a time of 19 minutes and 50 seconds. The second place finisher was U.S. Marine Maj. William Conner at 20:26. Coming in third was Norwich University Army Cadet Luke Nabozny of the United States at 20:46 and Belgium Army Cpt. Kristof Debruyne was the fourth place finisher with a time of 21:19.

Runners appeared in all types of apparel showing everything from the latest high-tech sports gear to Slovenian Army Cpl. Moravac Nino who ran the entire 5 kilometers wearing his country's flag like a cape. U.S. Marine Cpl. Elena Parra, from Bronx, NY, was asked if she was ready to run and replied "I'm a Marine, of course I'm running, we run, run, run till the run is done." Later on towards the end of the run on a challenging 1.5K hill climb, the determined Parra re-affirmed her earlier statement as she passed many whom had slowed down to a walk.

The trail ran through mountain forests surrounding the Lager Aulenbach base giving participants a view of the splendid German countryside in springtime. South African Army Cpl. Jomo Segowa said he "enjoyed the beauty of the trail and loved the tall trees and hills although I run on hills at home but not hills as steep as these." The event was organized by U.S. Air Force MSgt. Robert Maldonado. He found a few sponsors including AFCEA for water and sports drinks, t-shirts for all the runners as well as a prize pack for the top four finishers. The prize packs were gift bags with assorted items from the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES).

Lt Col. Joe Angyal, the Exercise Director and a member of the U.S. EUCOM J9 staff, was extremely pleased with the success of the first Combined Endeavor 5K. "The event we held today is building upon the human interoperability element that is so critical in making Combined Endeavor the success that it has become," said Angyal. "Expect to see this run next year but only bigger."

Combined Endeavor 2006 is the world's largest security cooperation and communications and information system military exercise. The U.S. European Command sponsored exercise is being held from May 12 through May 25 and includes 41 partner nations and 1,200 military and civilian experts. The multinational training brings NATO and Partnership for Peace nations together to plan and execute interoperability testing of command, control, communications and computer equipment systems from participant nations to support future combined humanitarian, peacekeeping and disaster relief operations.

The AFCEA Liberty Bell Chapter, on behalf of Col Earl Matthews (their November 2005 speaker) has donated three helmet kits to local Airmen deployed or deploying to the AOR.  Additionally, two kits were provided to military members during Operation Sugar Plum Saturday at Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove in December 2005.

Operation Helmet is a nonpartisan, charitable grassroots effort that provides helmet upgrade kits free of charge to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.  These helmet upgrade kit consists of shock-absorbing pads and a new strap system.  After stripping out the old leather headband and neck strap, a new adjustable plastic strap is screwed into the same holes.  Velcro strips are included for adding the pads.  A new nape strap keeps the helmet from sliding forward, and an enhanced chinstrap provides better comfort and stability.

Operation Helmet depends on tax-deductible donations.  For $75-$100, depending on the manufacturer, added safety and comfort can be provided for a trooper.  But donations of any amount are welcome.  The donation can be designated for a specific branch of the military, a particular unit or an individual trooper.

Why are helmet upgrades needed?  Many of today’s helmets – particularly those worn by the Marines, Airmen, and Sailors – were designed 20 years ago to protect soldiers from gunfire and flying debris.  They are effective, but are uncomfortable and offer little or no protection from concussion-causing blasts, which are the biggest killers of U.S. troops in Iraq.  The upgrade kits make a good helmet significantly better.  Note: the advanced combat helmet (ACH) and modular integrated communications helmet (MICH) come standard with these newer pads kits.

Some branches of the military, such as the Army and Navy Seabees, do provide for the upgrade kits.  But the military does not issue the kits to most troops.  Service personnel can purchase their own upgrade kits.  But the cost – approximately $100 is prohibitive to most – especially young troopers with families to support.

100% of donations go toward helmet kits.  There are no administrative costs deducted and the Operation’s books are available for inspection by anyone who wants to see them.

To date, Operation Helmet has sent upgrade kits to over 3,500 troops. 

For more information on the Chapter Spotlight, contact Tobey Jackson.