Page 29 - Nov2024Communicator
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David Tillotson, the NMUSAF Director. During
         our meeting we were graciously received by the
         Director and his staff. Colonel Adsit and I
         presented our information documenting General
         Squier’s contributions to both electronics and
         aviation. We concluded with a storyboard of his
         video for his Hall of Fame induction.                  A few of the timeline tiles at the Heritage Center,
          Mr. Tillotson indicated that General Squier most      Scott AFB, IL.
         certainly deserved consideration and
         acknowledgment for his work. He confirmed that        an approach like that used in the center,
         Gen Squier was already included in the aviation       Timeline and Tiles display, should work.
         area in a panel display of formation of the Air        An update of our progress was provided to the
         Service as part of the Signal Corps. Then he          NMUSAF Director and Staff. First, we presented
         surprised us. He indicated that 90 percent of Air     the video of General Squier’s Hall of Fame
         Force members had little to do with flying. He        induction. Mr. Tillotson said it was display-ready
         had five hangars full of old aircraft that did not    and suggested that benches should be added so
         tell their story. He mentioned that he had started    tourists could watch the display. He appreciated
         two functional displays to tell their story: Basic    the input on Air Traffic Control and thought it
         Military Training at Lackland AFB, TX and             might be linked to artifacts that the museum
         Women in the Air Force. He challenged us, as an       had or needed to acquire. He agreed that the
         Association, to propose a concept for Cyberspace,     timeline approach for cyber and communications
         Communications and Air Traffic Control. We            was the best way to present the information.
         accepted.                                              He asked his staff to proceed with our approach.
          We started with a focus group of air traffic         He thought the Squier video might be ready in
         controllers. Their inputs were consolidated, and      2025 and the cyber/communications timeline in
         five events were selected to tell their story: Gen    2026. He advised General Raduege that we
         Hap Arnold’s B-10 flight to Alaska which led to       would be kept in the loop on the museum’s
         the formation of Army Airways Communications          progress.
         System, the Berlin Airlift, Professional Air Traffic   Earlier I mentioned the General Squier statue.
         Controllers strike, Facilities Checking mission       In early May 2024 we received an invitation from
         and units, and Terminal Instrument Procedures         the Dryden Township Supervisor to dedicate the
         (TERPs).                                              statue on Memorial Day. Colonel Adsit and I
          Communications were another matter. The vast         traveled back to Michigan to participate. We
         sphere of development from flares to rockets to       rode in a HUMVEE during the parade, Col Adsit
         cyberspace was too large for a focus group. We        gave the Memorial Day address (see page 13),
         contacted Dan Williams, former curator of the Air     and I participated in the statue dedication. It
         Force Cyberspace and Communications Heritage          was a fantastic opportunity to see small town
         Scott AFB IL, for assistance. He suggested that       America in action (see photos below).


















                                             Dedication ceremony
                                             photos, top and right.

                                                                                                   With Suzanne
          Leslie McCormick, Ken                                                                    Johnson, the
          Reiff, and Jay Adsit                                                                     sculptor.
          during a trip to MI.


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