The LOA National Newsletter:  February 2006	LOA Member Area
LOA Vision  “A Professional organization devoted to promoting quality logistics, professional development of logistics officers, and an open forum for leadership, management, and technical interchange.”
Senior Leader Quote:  "It's good to be back in the DC area and to have transferred from one exceptional LOA chapter (Scott Gateway) to another (Capital Chapter).  As great as the LOA conferences are, I find even more professional development occurs at the local level.  As a senior officer, I think that developing professionally and improving your leadership are so important to preparing you for "tomorrow's" positions, and I think you'll find that being involved in lively, local chapters will help you with this.  I recently spoke to 30 in the Capital Chapter about this very thing-developing professionally and becoming better leaders.  We talked DLA, a senior officer's view, and leadership.  Exercising mentally includes stepping outside your comfort zone and engaging others with different experience and challenges, not to mention jobs...this might be LOA's best attribute.  I encourage you to get involved in your local chapter and help take it to the next level."                                                                                                                 ~Major General Loren Reno, Vice Director, Defense Logistics Agency
A Message from the LOA President:  "As you know, LOA is LOA because of you...the membership.  Its great to see our senior leaders so interested in LOA.  Thank You Major General Reno!  I encourage all Chapter Presidents to continue involvement of their senior leaders and promoting leadership & professional development.  To that end, very soon you will be asked to complete a survey from our Mentorship Committee and I encourage you to complete it as we strive to improve out mentorship program.  Sometimes the best feedback is found not in the answers to the questions, but what you write in the comments block on the form...so, provide those written comments!  We are on track for LOA 2006 and the Alamo Chapter is well on its way to continue the tradition of a first rate conference.  Again, please continue to get involved in local chapter events and I look forward to seeing your activities posted on the LOA website and take your chapter to the next level!"                                                                                                                                                          ~Colonel Phil Waring, President, LOA National
LOA Members in the News:   Congratulations to the following officers selected to attend ALROC, 11 Jan 06 - 13 Apr 06:   Capt Apple, Richard                        AFSOC Maj Babinski, Jeffrey                       AMC Maj Campbell, Jason                       ACC Capt Cubstead, Kevin                      ACC Maj Gonzalez, Reynaldo                  AETC Capt Gorr, Cassie                            ACC Maj Hunt, Kenneth                           ACC Maj Justice, Keith                            ACC Capt Keelty, Kieran                          AETC Maj Manouse, Barbara                     AFRC Maj Maxwell, Melvin.                        USAFE Capt Shirriff, Adam                           AMC
LOA National Announcements:   LOA National is pleased to announce that all LOA chapters (including OCONUS) are now covered by liability insurance.  LOA National funds the liability insurance and no actions are required by chapter leadership to qualify--coverage is automatic.  If a chapter sponsoring an activity or event finds a participating organization requires proof, a certificate of insurance can be provided from our carrier.  Chapter POCs should contact LOA National Assistant Treasurer, Lt Col John Gorla, (assttreas@loanational.org) at least 2 weeks prior to the event to ensure timely receipt of the certificate, but again, coverage is automatic.  Please direct questions to Lt Col Gorla or Lt Col Ike Isenhour, LOA National Treasurer, treasurer@loanational.org.
Mentorship:  Your LOA Mentorship Committee has completed initial brainstorming on how to improve our mentorship program. We have 26 separate ideas/initiatives that are being assessed. One thing we need ASAP is to find out what YOU, our membership, think about mentorship. You should be seeing an email with a link to an online survey on our mentorship program--please take the time to let us know what YOU think. Once we get the survey results, the committee will get together and begin attacking the things you want us to do first. As always, you are welcome to send any ideas about mentorship to me at vicepres@loanational.org, or, if you see a member of the mentorship committee, please let them know as well: Your mentorship committee includes: Lt Col Richard P. Schwing – Langley AFB (Committee Lead)   Col (ret) Mike Hogan – Battelle Regional Director, Warner Robins GA Lt Col Linda Dahl – Pentagon Lt Col Robert L. Stephenson – Nellis AFB Lt Col Kurt Wilson – Moody AFB Lt Col Kurt Kitti – Pentagon Maj Dana Pelletier – MacDill AFB Maj Matt Paskin – Dyess AFB Maj Kevin Sampels – Osan AB Capt Chris Boring – Minot AFB Capt Heather Hunn – Scott AFB
Chapter Highlights:  The National Capital Chapter had a great tour of a facility that restores aircraft for the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, check out their trip at http://www.loanational.org/chaptersupport/capital_feb06.asp. The Shogun Chapter had a  busy winter at Kadena, check out their update and their joint participation at http://www.loanational.org/chaptersupport/shogun_feb06.asp.  By popular demand, we have DVDs available to each chapter with the briefings from the LOA Conference.  Chapter Presidents if you haven't already done so, send you mailing address to chaptersupport@loanational.org to receive your copy.
National Conference:  The '06 Conference will be in San Antonio 9-12 October at the Henry Gonzalez Convention Center on the beautiful San Antonio River Walk!  Be sure to watch the LOA website for the latest conference info.  The theme is  Sustaining "Today's Weapons Systems with Tomorrow's Airmen".   We’ve negotiated a great conference rate at several hotels, but you have to reserve your rooms through the LOA conference website to get the conference rates.  The link is not active yet—but will be soon. Exhibit booth layout for the conference is OPEN!  Those that submitted an Earlybird form to me last conference are enjoying early booth choices.  For those of you who didn’t submit an early bird form—regular booth selection will open 2/21.
ER:  The Spring ER is in the works, you should have it in late March.  The theme is “Joint Logistics” – thanks to all who submitted.  Interested in contributing an article to the ER?   Summer ‘06 will be “Logistics Technology” and the Fall ’06 theme will be “Sustaining Today’s Weapon Systems with Tomorrow’s Airmen”.  So send us those stories!  The submission deadlines for the Summer issue is Apr 12th and the Fall issue in July 1st.
LOA History:  In 2004, the Air Force’s “Combat Wing Organization” was officially a year old, and Logistics Readiness Officer membership's in LOA outpaced Maintenance Officers for the first time in our history.  AFMC’s Air Logistics Centers were leading the way in the Lean effort, achieving manufacturing, repair, and overhaul “Best Practices” for others to benchmark.  Continuing with the Lean focus, Expeditionary Logistics for the 21st Century (eLog21) was launched to standardize process improvement methodologies and vocabulary across the AF.  The LOA National Conference, “Sustaining America’s Combat Edge,” was held in Las Vegas and was the most popular conference yet with over 1,400 attendees.  Tune in next month as our history snippet begins an all-new series featuring LOA National Presidents, past and present!
Franchises:  Coin collecting is linked with military tradition and to keep up with military tradition, the Langley Chapter at Langley AFB Virginia is selling LOA coins for only $7.00.  The NEW coin is silver w/ AF blue background engraved with LOA emblem on front and logistics badge and disciplines on reverse.…. A must have!!!!!   If you are not a silver toter we still have the traditional gold coins available for $5.00.  Price includes shipping with small orders.  Note:  Orders over 10 coins may include a shipping charge.  To order today, contact 1Lt Rogernetta Burbridge rogernetta.burbridge@langley.af.mil or visit the LOA National website at http://www.loanational.org/merchandise.asp
The Bottom Line:  As always, remember our organization is all about the troops.  Our focus will continue to be on training our replacements, and sharing ideas.  If you have any announcements you would like to be considered for inclusion in our monthly newsletter, please send in your completed inputs nlt the 10th day of the month to infoofficer@loanational.org.
Keep our deployed troops and families in your thoughts.
PHILIP F. WARING, Colonel, USAF LOA National President     President@loanational.org
Questions?  Suggestions?  Contact the following people: President: president@loanational.org  Vice-President:  vicepres@loanational.org Information Officer:  InfoOfficer@loanational.org Treasurer:  treasurer@loanational.org Membership:  membership@loanational.org Webmaster:  webmaster@loanational.org Exceptional Release: pr@loanational.org	LOA P.O. Box 2264  Arlington VA 22202 Comm: (703) 695-9213 / DSN 225-9213 Fax: (703) 740-8378 help@loanational.org  © 1982-2005 LOA. All rights reserved. This e-mail was sent by www.loanational.org PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL.