History & Traditions
The Air Force Officers’ Wives’ Club was
constituted on May 25, 1923, making it the first Air Force club of its
kind. Mrs. Mason Patrick, wife of the Chief of the Air Service invited
fifty “flapper” wives of young pilots into her home and they organized “The
Air Service Club.” Their Board of Governors consisted of three elected
officers and three committee chairman; membership, hospital and
entertainment.
They continued to act as a social club
until 1940, when under the leadership of Mrs. “Hap” Arnold, they decided to
invest more time volunteering to meet the needs of the “Air Corps Aid
Society.” The club’s name was eventually changed to the Air Force Officers’
Wives’ Club of Washington, D.C.
The AFOWC’s commitment to enrich the
lives of the entire Air Force Family is seen in draft proposals which
helped establish Air Force Village, Family Services and the Arlington
Committee.
Arlington Committee
The Arlington Committee grew out of the
conviction of General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Air Force Chief of Staff in 1948,
that Air Force personnel should not be buried in an atmosphere that was
bleak and friendless. Mrs. Vandenberg often walked Arlington Cemetery and
noticed airmen being buried with only the Chaplain and Honor Guard in
attendance. Greatly saddened by this, she began attending the Air Force
services. As the Air Force grew, so did the number of services, requiring
Mrs. Vandenberg to enlist the assistance of her friends. These Air Force
wives were the first Arlington Ladies.
Mrs. Vandenberg eventually created the
Arlington Committee within the Air Force Officers’ Wives’ Club as it
continues today.
A Committee member attends each service
of an active duty, retired or military veteran buried at Arlington Nation
Cemetery. A sympathy card from the Chief of Staff and spouse is presented
along with a personal note of condolence. If no family members are in
attendance, a letter is written describing the service and sent along with
the notes.
These volunteers are spouses of active
duty or retired Air Force Officers and exemplify the special dedication the
Air Force Officers’ Wives’ Club has to our Air Force family.
The Charity Ball Tradition
The Air Force Officers’ Wives’ Club
singularly sponsored the Charity Ball for forty seven years raising
hundreds of thousands of dollars that benefited our Air Force and civilian
communities. In 2004, the Air Force Officers’ Wives’ Club joined forces
with the Air Force, making the Charity Ball an official Air Force event,
benefiting the Air Force Aid Society.
Incorporated in 1942 as a private,
non-profit organization, Air Force Aid is the official charity of the
United States Air Force. General Henry “Hap” Arnold and his wife, Bea, were
concerned about the stress that mission demands put on Air Corps members
and their families. They envisioned an organization that would reinforce
the Army Air Corps ideal of doing whatever it took to complete the
mission…wherever, whenever, and however it was necessary, the aviation
community would take care of its own. General Arnold recruited assistance
from inside and outside the military, including businessmen and entertainers.
These early efforts helped create today’s Air Force Aid Society.
Air Force Aid disaster assistance in 2005
alone, totaled over $2.4 million. The Air Force Officers’ Wives’ Club
participation and contributions make a difference!
Save the date, 28 March, and
attend the 2009 Charity Ball!
Joint Armed Forces Officers’
Wives’ Luncheon
The Joint Armed Forces Officers’ Wives’
Luncheon, JAFOWL, began in 1977 when the officers’ wives’ clubs from the
five military services (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast
Guard) formed a coordinating committee to arrange this once a year event.
Its purpose is to promote “jointness” by providing an opportunity to meet
spouses from the other military services.
The spouse of the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff is the Honorary Chairman of JAFOWL. The committee consists
of two representatives from each military service, with the coordinating
service having an additional member. The luncheon responsibilities include:
coordinator, arrangements, program, publicity and reservations. These jobs
rotate among the clubs each year.
Distinguished speakers at previous JAFOWL lunches include comedian Bob
Hope, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Mr. Ross Perot, General Colin Powell,
Mrs. William J. Clinton, Mr. Tom Brokaw, and in 2005, President George W.
Bush. Information about JAFOWL is publicized by means of the spouses’ clubs
newsletters so look for details in our Protocall.
United States
Air Force Wife Emblem
 The shape is the traditional Air Force
organizational emblem - a shield with attached scroll. The Wings are
symbolic of the Air Force and their flying role in the defense of our
country. The wedding rings are entwined side by side to show the equal and
integral parts the wife and husband have in the marriage and home. The rose
woven in the beauty through the rings represents the wife as an individual
strong in her central role as homemaker and mother, in support of her
husband in his career and in pursuing her own personal goals. A portion of
the world is shown to represent the many homes established and filled with
love, comfort, and security for her family, wherever assignments take her.
The branch with leaves signifies the active life, growth, and service of
the Air Force wife that she shares at each station and in each community.
It also represents her children who thrive under her care and guidance.
Many travels are shown by the lines and the stars as destinations; the
lines are also representative of contrails, and the stars add a spiritual
quality.
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