American Fighter Aces

American Fighter Aces Association
Constitution (revised 6/6/09)

Article I: Name
This group shall be known as the American Fighter Aces Association (hereinafter referred to as the Association).
The Association is a patriotic, non-military, non-profit,
non-political organization, which supports programs that
further the national goals of the United States.

Article II: Purpose
To preserve and promote the distinguished heritage of the
American combat fighter ace for future generations of military aviators and historians, and to promote a more general understanding of the essential role of fighter aircraft in
the defense of our country.

Article VI: Duties of Officers, President:

1.	Uphold the provisions of the Association Constitution and By-Laws, and enable compliance there-with by the entire membership.
2.	Preside at the annual national convention, and any special national meetings which are deemed necessary and are specifically called in the interest of the organization and its members.
3.	Approve by his signature the financial statement prior to its presentation at the annual convention.
4.	Approve the programs and objectives.
5.	Affix his signature to all of the membership cards.

Vice President:

1.	Uphold the provisions of the Association Constitution and By-Laws and ensure compliance there-with by the entire membership.
2.	Act as advisor and assistant to the President in discharge of his duties.
3.	Preside at any convention normally presided by the President should the President be absent.
4.	Discharge established duties of the President in his absence.
5.	Duties 3 and 4 shall be discharged by the Ace Vice President if available.

Article V: Officers
The officers of the Association and the officers of the Board of Directors shall be the same. The following officers shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors and approved by the membership of the Association. They shall work in partnership with The Museum of Flight, providing oversight for all duties listed in Article IV. The President shall always be an Ace until such time as no Ace is available to fill the position.

1.	President
2.	Ace Vice President
3.	Friend Vice President
4.	Secretary
5.	Treasurer
6.	Historian

The Museum of Flight will appoint a staff liaison to handle all administrative requirements of the officers. Separate accounting practices will isolate these expenses so that on a monthly,
quarterly or annual basis, a full report of all expenditures can
be provided as separate from the annual reporting of
The Museum of Flight.

Article IV: Museum
The American Fighter Aces Association, in affiliation with The Museum of Flight, shall develop and perpetuate the American Fighter Aces museum display and archive as a medium of
informing and educating the public on the important role that American Fighter Aces have played in the history of military
aviation in our country. The Museum of Flight shall serve as the commercial enterprise and fund-raising arm of the Association.
The Museum of Flight shall;

A.	Collect dues, maintain membership lists and manage projects which will provide funds to support the Association.
B.	Solicit, receive, hold and administer gifts from persons, otherorganizations, corporations, foundations and philanthropies in the best interest of the Association.
C.	Acquire, preserve and display artifacts of the American Fighter Aces.
D.	Maintain accountability for funds and property.
E.	Foster and promote interest in the Friends of the Aces programs.
F.	Maintain good public relations and working relationships with local civic and government organizations.

Article III: Membership
The membership of the Association will consist
of the following categories of members:

Fighter Aces:
U.S. citizens who have served honorably as fighter pilots in a
U.S. military service or the service of a nation not at war with
the United States (or others who flew as a member of a U.S. military service), who have destroyed five (5) or more enemy
aircraft in aerial combat during the several wars and conflicts
since the advent of fighter aircraft.

Honorary Members:
Individuals, military or civilians, who have supported the American Fighter Aces Association in both word and deed, and/or have shown special interest and support of airpower in general and fighter aviation in particular; secondarily, individuals of national prominence or with aerial combat experience who can reasonably be expected to support the AFAA. Honorary members may be proposed by any member and selected by the Board of Directors.

Friends:
Individuals who are committed to preserving the legacy of the American Fighter Aces may join the organization as ‚ ”Friends.‚” They shall have full voting privileges within the AFAA and receive
the Aces Bulletin and biographies, and be included in all Aces gatherings.Friends of the American Fighter Aces Association may be nominated and elected, with approval of the Board of Directors,
to serve as a voting member of the Board. Members distinguished
as Friends represent the future of the AFAA.

Secretary:

1.	Present the minutes of the previous annual convention to the current annual convention.
2.	Take, and prepare for publication, the minutes for all meetings of the General Membership and Board of Directors of the Association.
3.	Removal shall require a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Treasurer:

1.	Maintain all financial records of the Association, working in conjunction with The Museum of Flight Chief Financial Officer.
2.	Oversee the disbursements and receipts for the Association and the disbursements and receipts emanating from The Museum of Flight.
3.	Cause the books to be reviewed annually by certified Public Accountant not earlier than two months prior to the annual convention. Incorporate into this report to the members a full accounting of all financial transactions monitored by The Museum of Flight.
4.	Prepare a consolidated current financial statement reflecting the condition of the Association for the Presidents approval, not earlier than two months prior to the annual convention.
5.	Present the financial statement to the membership at the annual convention.
6.	Removal shall require a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Historian:

1.	Assemble records on all American Fighter Aces for whom data is available.
2.	Prepare articles on American Fighter Aces periodically (or as requested by the Editor) for inclusion in the Association publication.
3.	Serve as a member and reference source on victory claims of American Fighter pilots to the Victory Confirmation Board.
4.	Maintain the Association archives.
5.	Removal shall require a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Article VII: Board of Directors

There shall be a policymaking Board of Directors consisting of sixteen at-large members,who shall
be elected in accordance with procedures described
in Article VIII below. If the immediate past President
has served his last year on the Board, he will remain
on the Board for one more year to assure continuity
of previous policies adopted by the Board, and to act
as advisor to the new president. Each member shall normally serve for a term of three years. Normally,
five or six members shall be replaced each year by expiration of office, but additional members may
be elected to fill vacancies caused by death,
resignation or removal.

Article VIII: Election of Board of Directors

1.	Candidates for the Board of Directors of the Association must be Ace or Friend members in good standing for one year prior to the current election.
2.	A nominating committee appointed by the President shall submit names of worthy candidates for approval of the Board of Directors who shall then submit a recommended slate of nominees to the general membership at the annual meeting for their consideration. Nominations may be made from the floor at the annual meeting.
3.	Elections shall be held, voting by secret ballot, at the annual convention immediately after nominations are closed. Nominated candidates elected by a majority of the members voting shall assume their offices at the close of the annual meeting.

Article IX: Amendments
Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by
any member of the American Fighter Aces Association.
The proposed amendment(s) must be submitted to the
Board of Directors for consideration and approval, and
then presented to the annual convention. If approved by
a majority of the voting members at the convention, the proposed amendment(s) shall be considered adopted
and the President with support of the Museum of Flight
shall effect such a change in the Constitution.

Article X: Boards & Committees

1.	Victory Confirmation Board (VCB) ‚ A VCB is established to review cases and make decisions regarding eligibility for membership in the Association and to make determination as to victory credits to be recognized by the Association.
2.	The VCB shall be composed of five active Association members representing a broad cross section of the membership. The members shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Board of Directors, which shall review and confirm or change its composition on an annual basis.
3.	All cases pertaining to victory credits shall be referred to the VCB by the President with supporting documentation. Cases shall be decided by a majority vote of three or more members. The VCB decisions shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval. The approved findings by the VCB shall be referred to the President of the Association for appropriate action or disposition.
4.	Committees shall be appointed

The American Fighter Aces Association was founded in 1960 to recognize the 1450 combat pilots that received a special distinction of becoming an ace by destroying
5 or more hostile aircraft in air to air combat.
This includes aces in both World Wars,
Korea and Vietnam.

"The American Fighter Aces Association is an organization
of select individuals who have distinguished themselves by
their achievements in aerial combat which contributed to the
security of this Nation during time of war. I can assure you
its membership will inspire patriotism and set a high
example for the youth of America"

Joseph Foss, Congressional Medal of Honor, USMC

With that statement, the American Fighter Aces Association
had their first gathering on 23 September, 1960
in San Francisco, California. General Thomas White,
the Air Force Chief of Staff at that time, addressed
this gathering with the following statement.

"As a young boy dreaming of becoming an airman – if I had
a choice between becoming Chief of Staff of the Air Force or
becoming a Fighter Ace, I would have chosen to become
a Fighter Ace. The Fighter Ace organization could
have a tremendous impact on the Country"

The American Fighter Aces Association has followed
the statement of General Thomas since that time with their
support of this Country and its citizens.

Objectives and Purpose

1. To preserve and promote the distinguished heritage
of the American combat fighter Ace for future generations
of military aviators and historians, and to promote a more general understanding of the essential role of fighter aircraft
in the defense of our country.

2. To preserve the spirit of loyalty, fellowship and
responsibility that motivates Fighter Aces.

3. To support the understanding of and demand for
sound, progressive aerospace weapons systems which will
guarantee the security and peace of the United States.

4. To encourage and stimulate young men and women
of special skills to enter the aerospace field.

5. To sponsor educational programs designed
to increase and broaden public knowledge
of aerospace technology.

Programs

1. Has established and maintains an academic scholarship
fund for qualified and deserving youths who are primarily descendants of American Fighter Aces.

2. Has established and maintains the Outstanding Cadet
in Airmanship Award which is presented annually at the
United States Air Force Academy.

3. Has established and maintains an awards program
for outstanding fighter pilot "lead-in" trainee graduates
from the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.

4. Supports worthwhile non-profit activities such as the
Friends of the Aces which contribute materially to the objectives and purposes of the Association.

5. Has established and fosters programs which are directed
at reaching the youth of our Country and encourages them
in the principles of patriotism and in accomplishing the
objectives and purposes of the Association.

6. Has become affiliated with The Museum of Flight
who supports the Association administratively, maintains and displays the Association archives and artifacts and raises funds through the sale of Fighter Aces art and other materials.
The Museum of Flight is the Home of The Aces.

AFAA Officers, Board of Directors and Staff

Officers

President, Ace: Lt. Gen.
Charles "Chick" Cleveland,
USAF (Ret.) ('13)

Vice-President,
Ace: Cmdr. Willis "Bill" Hardy
USN (Ret) ('13)

Friends Vice-President
Friend: Phil Schasker ('12)

Secretary
Friend: Clifford Neve ('12)

Treasurer
Friend: Robert Walters ('13)

Board Members

Ace: Maj. Gen.
Frederick "Boots" Blesse,
USAF (Ret.) ('11)

Col. J. Ward Boyce
USAF (Ret.) ('12)

Ace: Lt. Cdr. Fred Dungan
USN (Ret.) ('13)

Ace: Brig. General Frank Gailer, Jr.
USAF (Ret.) ('11)

Ace: Cmdr. Dean "Diz." Laird
USN (Ret.) ('11)

Ace: Lt. Tilman Pool
USN (Ret.) ('12)

Ace: Lt. Cdr. Charles "Billy" Watts
USN (Ret) ('11)

Friend: Dennis "Scott" Thomas ('13)

Friend: Dr. Gregg Wagner, Phd. ('12)

Friend: Dean Wolff ('11)

Historian, Friend: Frank Olynyk

Staff

Public Programs/AFAA Coordinator:
JD Wyneken, Ph.D
Editor American Fighter Aces
& Friends Bulletin.

Merchandise Sales :
Staff: Lesley Hooker

Membership Manager:
Staff: Cheryl Dart

Dahlberg Center for
Military Aviation History
Assistant Curator,
Staff: John Little