Key Associations for
Marine Aviators
This week our professor asked us
for our final blog to write about two professional associations that would help
us down our chosen career paths. As those of you who have been keeping up with
my blog this semester know, I am contracted to be a pilot for the United States
Marine Corps. With that being said the associations that I have chosen are
outside of the norm of what the rest of my fellow Eastern Aviation graduates
will choose. The Marine Corps Association and Foundation (MCA&F) and the
Order of Daedalians are both prestigious associations that seek to enhance the national
defense effort of the United States of America by promoting patriotism and supporting
the brave men and women who are actively defending our country today.
It was at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on the
25th of April in 1913 the Marine Corps Association was founded. Then
LtCol John A. Lejeune, who would later serve as the 13th Commandant of the Marine
Corps, headed a committee of Marines, “MCA&F’s first executive committee”
(MCA&F, para. 1). The committee established a vision that continues to
drive the association and its initiatives today. As stated by the MCA&F
website, their mission is, “To be the preeminent association and foundation for
ALL Marines and friends of the Corps dedicated to development and recognition
of professional excellence and expanding awareness of the rich traditions,
history, and esprit of the United States Marine Corps” (para. 2).
The importance of an organization
such as MCA&F cannot be overstated. The MCA&F is an invaluable resource
for all Marines who have served and are currently serving, and immeasurably strengthens
our Corps as a whole by providing numerous benefits that preserve time honored
Marine Corps traditions and values. The benefits of being a member include
discounts on important career related essentials such as uniform items and military
books, professional development and educational opportunities, financial
services through USAA, access to competitive insurance plans, access to the Leatherneck and Marine Corps Gazette archives, and more discounts from companies
such as Apple and Dell. The benefits I have listed do not account for all that MCA&F
has to offer and I highly encourage all Marines to join this wonderful
association.
Unlike MCA&F, I am not a member
of the second association I chose. The reason being that I am not eligible. The
Order of Daedalians is made up of, “commissioned, warrant and flight officer
military pilots and WASPs [Women Airforce Service Pilots]” (Order of
Daedalians, para. 1). The name is based off of the Greek myth of Daedalus who
constructed wings for himself and his son Icarus in order to escape Crete. The association
was founded in 1934 and was created in order to honor and uphold the comradeship
of the first pilots to ever fly in the defense of the United States in WWI.
Today the Order of Daedalians
serves as an important networking tool for military pilots, while providing
many scholarships for aspiring military pilots, and granting awards to those
who valiantly serve the United States military. The Exceptional Pilot Award,
for example, was presented to Lt. Zaiko of the United States Navy who
successfully landed his aircraft despite not having properly functioning
landing gear. From the mouth of Lt. Zaiko, “The landing itself was smoother
than a lot of landings with gear, and it was a surreal experience when we
touched down and coasted along the runway, then stepped out of the plane with
both rotors in tact and nothing on fire” (Leslie, para. 3, 2007).
Both organizations I have chosen
promote patriotism and seek to serve former and current military members. Both provide
invaluable resources and can be used as tools for networking with my peers. It
is because of organizations such as these that the traditions and values of the
United States military continue to be upheld, while the mission effectiveness
of those who currently serve is greatly increased. That is what makes organizations
such as MCA&F and the Order of Daedalians important to my career path, and that
is what makes these organizations important to the careers and lives of so many
other fighting Americans.
References
Daedalians (N.D.) About us.
Retrieved from http://www.daedalians.org/about.htm
Daedalians. (N.D.) Scholarships.
Retrieved from http://www.daedalians.org/scholarships.htm
Leslie, R. (2007, June 19). VAW-120
pilot receives Order of the Daedalians Exceptional Pilot Award.
Retrieved from http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=30107
Marines. (N.D.). About Lt.Gen. John
Archer Lejeune (1867-1942). Retrieved from http://www.lejeune.marines.mil/About/AboutLtGenLejeune.aspx
Marine Corps Association and Foundation.
(N.D.). About. Retrieved from https://www.mca-marines.org/about
Marine Corps Association and Foundation.
(N.D.). Benefits. Retrieved from https://www.mca-marines.org/membership/benefits
Joe, from what I have read, both of these organizations sound great to be apart of. With the Marines in your near future, being apart of these organizations will help further your career. These organizations are definitely different from what everyone else mentioned, however for your current position, I completely understand why you would chose them.
ReplyDeleteVery good choice of organizations to discuss, which will benefit you throughout your career. Your doing the right thing and will be a great Marine....Semper Fi
ReplyDeleteI found it refreshing to read about some military associations instead of the typical GA organizations. I am not in the military so I haven't learned much about them.
ReplyDelete