After 76 years as the preeminent voice for American air and space power, AFA announced it is changing its name to better match its mission and will henceforth be known as the Air & Space Forces Association.
“AFA was formed in 1946—even before the Air Force became an independent military service,” said AFA Chairman Gerald Murray. “But times change, and just as the Air Force was an offshoot of the Army, our Space Force was born two years ago from the roots of our Air Force. Today, both military services are represented by the Department of the Air Force and thus both are fully represented by our Association. This change makes clear to everyone that Space is integral to our mission.”
AFA will retain its three-letter acronym that has served the Association since its start. But the new name and a distinctive new Star-Delta logo will redefine what those letters stand for. These changes ensure those new to the association understand the breadth of its mission: To educate the public about air and space power, to advocate for the world’s most capable, most lethal, and most effective Air and Space Forces, and to support Airmen, Guardians, and their families.
“AFA has always been fully committed to supporting both the Air Force and Space Force as the most indispensable elements of our joint force,” said AFA President Lt. Gen. Bruce Wright, USAF (Ret.). “Even now, as the Space Force grows, expands, and builds its own, unique warfighting culture, air and space remain inextricably linked. The Airmen and Guardians who are the masters of those domains nevertheless remain tightly integrated and mutually dependent within a single Department of the Air Force. So it is with our Association.”
AFA’s new Star-Delta Logo embraces both the heritage and heraldry of the Air Force and the innovation and unique identity of the Space Force. The Star is derived from the original “Hap Arnold” Army Air Corps Star, elements that defined AFA’s identity since its founding in 1946. The new logo combines a stylized reimagining of the Hap Arnold star with the Space Force’s distinctive Delta and Polaris, both drawn from the Space Force logo.
“These elements have been combined to present a unique visual identity that reflects the dynamism and permanent bonds between these two services and their respective warfighting domains,” said Murray, former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. “The Polaris in particular is of note, as it represents the Space Force’s unique role as a guiding light and enabler for the whole of the joint force.”