Supporting Air Force Athletics and the Mission of the United States Air Force Academy

FALCON LETTER WINNERS
PARTICIPATION + RECOGNITION =
STRENGTHENING AIR FORCE ATHLETICS The AF Letter Winners Club is a group of Air Force Academy letter winners whose goal is to create a greater awareness of and interest in Air Force intercollegiate athletics and enhance support to the mission of the Air Force Academy. Membership includes all men and women who have earned a letter in an intercollegiate sport at the United States Air Force Academy.

Mission Statement:
Displaying a proud heritage to expand the future.

Athletics is an important part of the Academy's leadership development. Playing on an intercollegiate athletic team at USAFA had far-reaching benefits that helped us succeed in our future endeavors. The AF Letter Winners Club recognizes the special talents of all letter winners and the bond between team members and all athletes at the Air Force Academy. Over the past four decades Air Force athletes have passed on a proud heritage. They laid the foundation for future successes and continued leadership on the athletics fields, in the Air Force, and in civilian life.

Goal:
The AF Letter Winners Club will be a forum through which letter winners, by their commitment to Air Force athletics, provide leadership as alumni to the Athletic Department and the Academy. By recognizing letter winners and what they have meant to the Academy over the years, The AF Letter Winners Club will keep lay the foundations of Air Force Athletics expanding into the future.

Objectives:
Outreach and Support.

Outreach:
Participation is key to The AF Letter Winners Club. By utilizing the special skills and bonds between letter winners and their families and friends, The AF Letter Winners Club will reach out to a wider market audience to expand the Academy's presence. The AF Letter Winners Club will complement existing organizations such as the Association of Graduates, the Air Force Academy Athletic Association and the various USAFAFA Parents' Clubs throughout the country. The Board of The AF Letter Winners Club will develop an outreach plan that supports the missions of the Academy and the Department of Athletics. Attachment 1 provides examples of outreach initiatives The AF Letter Winners Club can use.

Support:
The AF Letter Winners Club will assist the Athletic Department and the Academy with the Challenges for the Future. Personal commitment of "time, talent, and treasure" will help continue a strong legacy of leadership through athletics and enhance the Academy's mission. Recognition will play a key role on T's support. The AF Letter Winners Club will work with the Athletic Department to recognize the efforts of letter winners and who support current Academy intercollegiate teams. Most importantly, The AF Letter Winners Club will develop projects that highlight the role of Athletics to in the success of Graduates.

Intercollegiate Sports at the Air Force Academy:

Membership:
Membership in of the AF Letter Winners Club is open anyone who has performed on the "fields of friendly strife" and earned a letter at the Air Force Academy. Current and former coaches are also members of The AF Letter Winners Club. Past efforts as an Air Force Academy athlete gained you membership in the AF Letter Winners Club, but in order to recognize your future contributions, we have developed a tiered membership recognition plan. Levels of membership recognition will be based on points which can be earned through "time, talent, and/or treasure." Participation is critical to attain the goals and objectives of the AF Letter Winners Club.

Levels of Recognition:
The AF Letter Winners Club will have four levels of recognition based on this "time, talent, and/or treasure" concept. With the understanding that members are at various stages of their personal, financial, and professional life, giving members participation options is a must. The objective is to support Air Force Athletics. Points will be accumulated over an academic year (June through May). The Board of the AF Letter Winners Club will finalize the guidelines for recognitionmembership levels.

Falcon - 1,000+ points Varsity - 500 to 999 points Junior Varsity - 250 to 499 points Fledgling - 0 to 249 points

Point System:
Points can be accumulated through time spent supporting Falcon Athletics or other activities at USAFA, through volunteering one's professional talents to assist the Academy, or through financial contributions to the Athletic Department and the Academy. The Board of AF Letter Winners Club will finalize the point system. Attachment 2 provides examples of how points may be earned.

Reporting:
Each member of the AF Letter Winners Club will report their yearly point totals in June of each year (i.e., points earned between June 1999 and May 2000 will be reported in June 2000.) This "honor system" saves club dollars by minimizing the cost to maintain an extended database of member participation. The AF Letter Winners Club will mail or e-mail a report sheet each April asking for the data. This will also help the club maintain accurate demographic information.

Club Leadership:
Board of Directors: The governing board will consist of one representative from each of intercollegiate sport (currently 27 teams) plus up to eight at-large letter winners appointed by the Air Force Academy Director of Athletics. Board members will serve for a period of two years. Initial Board members will be selected by a committee appointed by the Director of Athletics based on volunteers from each sport. During the Club's first year, the initial Board will develop an election procedure to select officers, who will serve an executive committee (described below). This initial Board of Directors will also develop procedures to elect subsequent Board members for each athletic team. This election process should include: 50% of the Board members will be elected annually and each team's Board member will be elected by that team's letter winners. The Board of Directors will meet at least semi-annually.

Executive Committee:
As discussed in the previous paragraph, the Director of Athletics can appoint up to eight at-large letter winners to serve on the Board of Directors. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors, these eight members will act as the initial Executive Committee of the AF Letter Winners Club's. This committee will serve as the start-up team for the club and will be responsible for its day-to-day operations. Once the Board of Directors and the Director of Athletics feel the club has matured, the executive committee responsibilities will transition to the officers of the club (see next paragraph). The eight appointed at-large members will continue to serve on the Board of Directors after transitioning the Executive Committee responsibilities to the officers of the Board of Directors.

Officers:
The Board of Directors will elect the initial officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Communication Manager. Officers will be elected annually. Initially, this group will meet and coordinate club activities with the AF Letter Winners Club's Executive Committee. As a club officer, the communication manager will be an integral part of the leadership team. Developing and maintaining communication links with all club members is vital to attain the Club's objectives of outreach and support. Examples of communication tools include: