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