This Year's Conclave Convening in Southern California

An assembly of active and retired Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Aviators and friends of Naval Aviation will convene at their annual meeting and reunion in San Diego, CA, June 1 - 4, 2005. This event is held in San Diego once every four years and promises to be one to remember.

The four-day reunion is being held at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley. The Association of Naval Aviation's annual gathering fosters camaraderie and features presentations by Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard leaders on the state of Naval Aviation today and what lies ahead in the future.

"For our annual meeting and reunion we have assembled an agenda that allows attendees to learn how the services are working together to maintain the strongest, most efficient, most agile and advanced warfighting force possible," said Admiral Stan Arthur, USN (Ret.), former Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Commander of the US 7th Fleet and ANA's Chairman of the Board.

Thursday, June 2 will feature the Awards Luncheon honoring active duty men and women and support personnel who have excelled in Naval Aviation in the past year. Awardees are the "best of the best" and are derived from all communities in Naval Aviation ranging from the enlisted personnel who keep the aircraft flying to those who take those aircraft into combat. Over 30 award winners from the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard will be honored. That evening, ANA will host a premiere reception for active duty personnel, poolside at the Marriott Mission Valley, in recognition of their courageous performance in the Global War on Terrorism.

Participants will commemorate the Battle of Midway (June 4 - 6, 1942) on Friday, June 3 aboard the nation's newest Naval Aviation museum, the USS. Midway. This reception, which is hosted by the San Diego Navy Community, will be held amidst beautifully restored historic aircraft and is a premiere event for ANA 2005, San Diego and the surrounding area.

The conference will culminate with ANA's annual Banquet and feature one the Navy's "best and brightest" leaders as principal speaker, Admiral John B. Nathman, USN, Commander, US Fleet Forces Command. In addition, the second annual "President George H. W. Bush" award will be presented during the evening's festivities.

"Throughout the four day meeting and reunion delegates will be treated to a number of professional briefings on relevant topics and issues affecting today's Naval Aviation Force. The goal is to provide members, industry partners, guests and prospective members an enjoyable and enlightening time they will want to repeat each year," said ANA President, Rear Admiral P. D. Smith, USN (Ret.).

The Association of Naval Aviation, headquartered in Alexandria, VA just outside the nation's capital, is the professional, non-profit, educational and fraternal society of Naval Aviation whose main purpose is to educate the public and our national leaders on the vital roles of the

FMI: www.anahq.org