Air Force Memorial Takes Flight

The groundbreaking for the new Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Va., is set for Sept. 15. The memorial will honor the millions of patriotic men and women who distinguished themselves in the U.S. Air Force and its predecessors, such as the Army Air Corps, and will salute the vast technological achievements of American airpower. The Air Force is the only branch of the nation’s armed forces that does not yet have a memorial in the nation’s capitol.

The memorial will be constructed adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, on a promontory overlooking the Pentagon and offering a spectacular view of Washington, D.C.

The memorial was designed by James Ingo Freed of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, Architects, of New York. Central to the design are three stainless steel spires that soar skyward. The highest of the spires will ascend 270 feet above the 3-acre elevated promontory site. Other key elements of the memorial include a bronze honor guard, inscription walls, and an open glass chamber of contemplation, all landscaped to create a memorial park and parade ground.

Funds for the memorial are being collected from aerospace and defense-related corporations, foundations, service organizations, private individuals, and others. The memorial is expected to be completed by September 2006.

The groundbreaking ceremony will feature prominent speakers, including foundation Chairman Ross Perot Jr., Secretary of the Air Force James Roche, and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper. Vintage and modern Air Force aircraft will perform flybys, and the Air Force Band will play patriotic music. Visit the Air Force Memorial Foundation’s Web site, www.airforcememorial.org.

Army Gets New Duds

For more than 20 years, the design of the battle dress uniform has remained the same. Now, soldiers will get to don something new. The Army has introduced a combat uniform with a digital camouflage pattern of light green, tan, and gray to help soldiers blend into urban, desert, and forest environments. The uniform will be roomier and wrinkle-free, will include Velcro, and will be zippered instead of buttoned.

NMAA Marks 125th

In 1880, the Navy Mutual Aid Association (NMAA) issued its first check to Annie Wallis, widow of Lt. John P. Wallis, USN, for $559.17. Thus the association, founded the year before, began serving members of all the sea services. Today the NMAA marks 125 years of providing financial support to families of its deceased members.

From its beginnings at a desk in the offices of the secretary of the Navy serving 94 members, NMAA now serves more than 100,000 members from its home at Henderson Hall, adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery. Members can obtain benefit plans providing as much as $750,000 of life insurance protection with plans also available for spouses, children, and grandchildren. The association currently has almost $13 billion of life insurance in force and has provided more than $600 million in benefits since that first check was issued to Wallis. NMAA has provided continuous, undiminished benefits to sea service families through all the nation’s conflicts since its establishment.

In addition to financial payments, NMAA helps educate service personnel about government survivor benefits and personal financial management and offers secure storage of valuable documents, financial and insurance counseling, and survivor benefits counseling. For more information, call (800) 628-6011 or visit NMAA’s Web site, www.navymutual.org.