Now is the time for all you Northerners to give me a "gotch ya". I seem to recall making some relatively snide comments about Winter in the last Newsletter. Now, you all are enjoying a pleasant summer and we are cooking. We have not had the "hundred-teen" days but with our humidity , it seems hotter. September will cool off though and we will all have a wonderful Conference.

Speaking of Conference, the South Texas AFWOA Chapter is working hard to make this event memorable. In keeping with our desire to grow AFWOA, we have tried to build a conference that will appeal to all our membership from the oldest to the newest. I am pleased to say that our membership is growing by the proverbial leaps and bounds. Carol Habgood, the official number keeper, tells me we now have 991 members. We have gained 82 new members since January 2000. We are pushing to make that number 1,000 by Conference. One of our Goals will have been accomplished!

I must pay tribute to Dori Johnson who is almost single-handedly responsible for our Membership growth. Dori has guided many new, young officers to join the organization. It only takes a minute to do so and the potential rewards for AFWOA and the individual are boundless. Our future lies in our young members. Us "Oldies" paved the way, provided the gathering force, and are working to sustain the organization. To insure our validity as an organization throughout this new century, we must insure AFWOA appeals to this new membership segment as well as our traditional members. We will expect them to carry on in future years. We must give them a reason to do so.

To that end, the South Texas Chapter has built a Conference agenda that will satisfy the most curmudgeonly of members and well the most newly hatched. I hope you have all mailed in your registration forms. This is a singular opportunity for me to meet you. Also, we will be discussing and deciding on many new initiatives which will shape AFWOA in future years.

Founding Board of Directors

Later, the Board approved the appointment of additional members. They were (and the dates they served on the Board of Directors):

Other Board changes were:

Women Veterans of America
(WVA) is holding its 2nd Annual Convention celebrating the 10th Anniversary of WVA. The place: Orlando, Florida; dates: October 20 - 21, 2000. The West Palm Beach Chapter is sponsoring the convention and invites all women veterans to attend. For more information, contact Betty Barnett, 2080 Bon Isle Cir., Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. Telephone (561) 882-8262 ext. 2351.

All Women Veterans Luncheon
The Women Marines Association chapter in Tucson, Arizona, is sponsoring an All Women Veterans Luncheon in November. Sue Sweeney, Tucson, has volunteered to coordinate for AFWOA members in Tucson and Green Valley. For more information, contact Sue. Her address and phone number are in our directory.

Korean War Veterans
... are being sought by the U.S.-Korea 2000 Foundation, Inc. The 50th Anniversary of the start of the Korean War was on June 25, and additional commemorations will continue through July 27, 2003. Korean War veterans are encouraged to register with the U.S.-Korea 2000 Foundation. The Foundation is looking for anyone who served in the armed forces, including the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine, for at least one day during the period June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1954. Actual service in the Korean theater of operations is not a requirement. Information and a registration form are available on the internet at ( www.uskorea2000.org ) or you may request an information and registration packet from the Foundation at:
U.S.-Korea 2000 Foundation, Inc.
4600 Duke Street, Suite 416
Alexandria VA 22304-2517
Tel. (703) 212 - 8128
FAX: (703) 212 - 8129

Tribute to Women in the Military
Kirtland AFB, NM, will be the site of the 16th annual Tribute to Women in the Military on March 2nd, 2001. The chairperson, AFWOA's LtCol Mary H. Parker, Albuquerque, NM, is looking for volunteers in the Albuquerque area to be speakers at the tribute. If you're interested, contact Mary at (505) 853-5831 (work) or (505) 831-2312 (home). Or by email at Mary.Parker@kirtland.af.mil

AFWOA USAFA Swim Award
The winner for 2000 was Mary E. Smith. The award was presented by last year's winner, Lt Connie Cann. Mary and Connie were former team mates on the Air Force Academy swim team.

AFA Honors AFWOA Members
AFWOA President Karen Rankin received the Air Force Association's national Medal of Merit recently. Karen also was honored as Member of Year of the Alamo Chapter of AFA at the Texas AFA state convention in July. She is vice president of the Alamo Chapter.
Angela Biggs, Schertz, Texas, received the Air Intelligence Agency Officer of the Year award at the Texas AFA state convention.

Lost in the Mail
Our mail was returned as nondeliverable to the following members. If anyone knows their current address, please let us know.

Laura Boussy, Cheyenne WY
Mavis Compagno, Scott AFB IL
Katherine Daspit, Houma LA
Flora Dunham, Linden NC
Rebecca Gardner, Randolph AFB TX
Angela Jaskiewicz, Minot AFB ND
Mary Small, Kamuela HI

Wild Blue Younder
We regret to inform you of the deaths of:
Jane Buck, May 8, 2000
Elizabeth Duffield, July 28, 2000
Mary Endsley, September 28, 1998
Lenore Henson, June 9, 2000