Silver Wings Information
Neil A. Armstrong Chapter
Silver
Wings History (back
to top)
Silver Wings was founded as
"Angel Flight" at the University of Omaha in 1952. Although similar
organizations could soon be found across the country, Angel Flight was a
national ideas with many different names and activities. In April 1957
representatives from 16 groups met in New York at the eighth annual conclave of
the Arnold Air Society to join their purposes under a National Coordination
Headquarters. In the years that followed, Angel Flight members worked to give
the organization a professional service-oriented image, as well as supporting
AFROTC units on each campus.
During the 1980's, the
Executive Board of Directors approved a petition to allow the local units of
Angel Flight to use the name "Silver Wings" on their local campuses to
recognize the growing diversity in the organization. These flights were
chartered by the national Angel Flight as Silver Wings or Silver Wings Society
Flights.
At the 1995 National
Conclave, the general assembly voted to amend the Angel Flight National
Constitution to officially change the name of the national organization to
"Angel Flight-Silver Wings (AnF-SW)." Local chapters were allowed to
choose Angel Flight-Silver Wings, Angel Flight, or Silver Wings for the chapter
name, although they were nationally known as Angel Flight-Silver Wings. Use of
"society" as part of the Angel Flight-Silver Wings name was dropped to
avoid confusion with the Arnold Air Society, which is often referred to as
"The Society."
In 1996 the chapters
approved a resolution to redefine the mission and objectives of the national
organization and further diversify its membership. This legislation moved the
organization into the role of a collegiate advocacy group. All chapters
chartered following this legislation are known as Silver Wings and function as
civilian organizations that emphasize leadership, citizenship, and the
development of professional skills. These changes were finalized at the 1998
National Conclave when the general assembly voted to officially change the name
of the organization to Silver Wings.
Silver Wings is a national, co-ed, professional organization dedicated to
creating proactive, knowledgeable, and effective civic leaders through community
service and education about national defense. This mission includes the
following interrelated objectives:
·
Personal Development of Individual Members, through service to the
local community.
·
Professional Development of Individual Members, through leadership
opportunities and the chapter, region, and national level.
·
Civic Awareness, through exposure to Air Force issues and
personnel which creates a personal awareness in the role aerospace power plays
in the national defense.
Colors:
Blue and white
Flower:
White rose
Motto:
"Knowledge,
wisdom, and the courage to serve."
Crest:
A double
wing, pointing upward, with a shield of the United States and a torch
superimposed on the shield. A band under the shield bears the words "Silver
Wings."
Last revised on 07 Feb 2002
Updated by AAS C/Captain Talley
Email
me at etalley@uncc.edu