AWA REUNION 2000

     The Air Weather Association reunion this year will be held in participation with the Air Weather Reconnaissance Association, the 15th/20th Weather Squadrons, 17th Weather Squadron and 18th Weather Squadron Associations, and the 3349th Technical Training Squadron Alumni reunions. All Air Force Weather alumni associations are invited to join in a great reunion celebrating the new Millennium.

Where:               Las Vegas, Nevada

      "Entertainment Capital of the World"

    and "Open 24 Hours"

When:                20–24 September 2000

            Planned activities: Thursday - Sunday Morning

Reunion Hotel:  IMPERIAL PALACE

  Hotel & Casino

  3535 Las Vegas Boulevard South

  Las Vegas, NV  89109

    The Imperial Palace was chosen for discount room rates, hospitality room and banquet space, a free parking garage, and its center "strip" location.  It is within walking distance of many of the major hotels for great sightseeing and a wide variety of casinos, shows, restaurants, buffets, boutiques and specialty shops, and more buffets.  The hotel has 2,700 rooms, 24-hour casino, Olympic-size outdoor pool, health and fitness center, medical clinic, showroom featuring "Legends in Concert" nightly, 10 restaurants (Burger Palace, buffets and gourmet dining rooms), and an Antique & Classic Auto Collection of over 200 vehicles.  SEE below for reunion details and see the yellow, one-page insert, registration form sent to members only. Deadline to register is 10 August 2000 so plan now to attend and send in your registration form early!

ALSO FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE: Thanks to Brig Gen Lewis for AFW update, Col French for AFWA update, and Lillian Nolan for AFWA Historian news.  AWA and AFW Annual Awards, Letters to the Editor, unit/squadron association reunion news, Necrologies, and much more.

AWA REUNION 2000   continued from above

     Welcome one and all to a grand reunion to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino. Activities are planned from Thursday through Sunday Morning, therefore, the advertised dates of the reunion are 20–24 September 2000.  The 20th is considered an arrival day and the 24th the departure day.  The Imperial Palace Hotel will honor the AWA discount room rates for at least two days prior and two days after the reunion dates for those who wish to arrive early or stay later. For those that want to attend the reunion for a shorter time period, please be advised that the Imperial Palace Hotel will not accept Saturday arrivals because of the usually high weekend bookings. 

GREAT HOTEL RATES: Don Farrington, our reunion organizer, negotiated great room rates. The Imperial Palace Hotel is offering all AWA Reunion 2000 attendees:

$49 for single/double Sun-Thurs nights

$79 for single/double Fri-Sat nights

plus county taxes of 9%

     Additional persons (beyond 2) in a room will be charged $15 per night plus tax.  Children of ages 5 and under will be free unless they require a roll-away crib or bed.  The charge will be $15 per night plus tax.

    Check-in time is 3:00 PM and check-out time is 12:00 noon.   

PLEASE MAKE YOUR HOTEL ROOM RESERVATION NOW or anytime before  10 August 2000 — the earlier the better.  

CALL the "Imperial Palace Convention Desk" at 1-800-800-2981 and identify yourself as part of AIR WEATHER ASSOCIATION REUNION 2000.  Reservations need to be guaranteed with a major credit card or a deposit equal to the first night's room rate plus the 9% county tax.

The hotel will allow reservations to be canceled without charge up to 48 hours prior to arrival.  See typed comments on the confirmation form sent to you.

SEPTEMBER WEATHER: Hot & dry outside; air-conditioned inside. In late September the temperatures should be cooling down. The mean high/low temperatures for August are 103/74; for September 95/66; and for October 82/54. Surf the Internet to the Las Vegas National Weather Service Web site: www.wrh.noaa.gov/lasvegas  for more information.

TRAVEL:  All reunion attendees need to make their own travel arrangements to/from the reunion hotel. Airline rates for reunions weren't less than regular advance-sale, senior, and other discount rates.  Las Vegas hotels do not offer airport pickup or drop-off. Taxis are easily available outside the Las Vegas McCarran International Airport and are reasonable in price to transport reunion attendees to the Imperial Palace Hotel. Taxis are also plentiful outside the Hotel to transport attendees to the airport.  The Hotel has a large parking garage for those that are driving personal or rental cars.  Attendees driving recreational vehicles may not find adequate parking available near the Imperial Palace.  RV parks are at Nellis AFB (702) 643-3060, Sam's Town (702) 454-8055 and over 20 other locations in the Las Vegas area.  Please call (334) 271-3246 or e-mail: AirWeaAssn@aol.com for a list of RV parks.            

REUNION REGISTRATION is required by 10 August; registration will not be available at the reunion.  Enclosed in this annual mailing, you should find a yellow AWA REUNION REGISTRATION form.  Please complete both sides of the form, join it with a check or money order for the total fee payable to the "AWA" or "Air Weather Association", and mail to Don Farrington, the reunion organizer as indicated on the form.  All reunion registrations need to be mailed in by 10 August 2000.  Those postmarked by 1 August 2000 will be eligible for the free hotel room drawing.  Any registration postmarked after 10 August will be returned to the sender. 

REUNION HOSPITALITY ROOM at the Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino will open on Wednesday afternoon, 20 September and be open during each day and early evening through Saturday. All reunion attendees should stop by the FUJI ROOM (4th floor) as soon as possible after arriving to sign in and receive their reunion information package, tickets and shirts/hats they may have paid for in registration fees. 

    The Hospitality room will also allow a central location to meet, greet old and new friends, reminisce and view memorabilia brought in by individual members and squadron/unit representatives.  Lillian Nolan, the Air Force Weather Agency Historian, is also expected to be present to share information.  The hospitality room will not have an open bar as at previous reunions.  Las Vegas hotels do not allow refreshments to be brought in and costs of hotel refreshments for an open bar would be exorbitant.

AWA REUNION 2000 PROGRAM

GENERAL

     The AWA Reunion in Las Vegas will provide all attendees time to renew acquaintances, meet new members and enjoy the many sights and activities along the Las Vegas Strip and within the Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino.  Attendees can meet in the hospitality room and venture out in groups on a free tour of the Imperial Palace Antique and Classic Auto Collection of over 200 vehicles; walk across the street and tour the Forum Shops of Caesar's Palace where statues entertain periodically; then walk north to see the volcano erupt outside the Mirage Hotel and Pirate ships fighting outside of Treasure Island.  To the south of Caesar's Palace is the new Bellagio where waters dance to classical music in the evening hours. The new Paris Hotel, New York-New York, the MGM Grand and many more are within walking distance. Of course there are many casinos where attendees can try their luck at numerous games of chance and even take complimentary gaming lessons.

     The basic reunion registration package is $75 per person and will consist of a Friday evening buffet, Saturday evening dinner/dance, and hospitality room availability during the reunion period. The yellow reunion registration form shows the details of the basic package and options such as a Sunday morning group brunch, tours to Hoover Dam and a golf tournament.

     For those that register, the AWA reunion committee volunteers will send out information on shows and other activities occurring during the reunion period.  Some attendees may want to plan activities and purchase show tickets in advance. More information is available on the Internet at the AWA Web site:  www.airweaassn.org  or go directly to the Hotel Web site:  www.imperialpalace.com   For more on Las Vegas, surf to:   www.lasvegas24hours.com

SCHEDULED  REUNION  ACTIVITIES

Wednesday, 20 September 2000

   2:00 PM  Hospitality room opens in the Imperial Palace Hotel Fuji room (4th floor) for attendees to sign in at the Reunion Information Desk and obtain the latest reunion program information. Golf teams will be determined for Thursday morning tournament.

   9:00 PM Hospitality room closes unless late arrivals are expected.

Thursday, 21 September 2000

    7:00 AM  Hospitality room opens in the Imperial Palace Hotel Fuji room for attendees to sign in and obtain the latest reunion program information. Golfers will gather to depart for golf tournament by 7:30 AM.

    Attendees are welcome in the hospitality room at anytime.  Rooms adjacent to the Fuji room will be used as needed for overflow and for separate unit/squadron meeting areas.

    7:45 AM Attendees who registered for the Hoover Dam tour meet in the Hotel tour lobby.

   Thursday evening - separate unit/squadron dinners are being scheduled (check with your unit rep.).

   9:00 PM Hospitality room closes unless late arrivals are expected.

Friday, 22 September 2000

   7:30 AM Hospitality room opens in the Imperial Palace Hotel Fuji room (4th floor) for attendees to sign in and obtain the latest reunion program information. Attendees are welcome in the hospitality room at anytime.  Rooms adjacent to the Fuji room will be used as needed for overflow and for separate unit/squadron meeting areas.

   7:45 AM Attendees who registered for the Hoover Dam tour meet in the Hotel tour lobby. 

   8:30 AM Air Weather Reconnaissance Association (AWRA) tour departs from Hotel tour lobby.

   5:00 PM  Bars Open in the Royal Hall Ballroom

   6:00 PM  BUFFET DINNER (casual dress) for all AWA reunion attendees in the Royal Hall Ballroom.  Early dinner planned in case attendees want to see a show or tour the Las Vegas Strip in the late evening.

   10:00 PM  Royal Hall Ballroom closes.

Saturday, 23 September 2000

   8:30 AM  Hospitality rooms open.  AWRA and some other  unit/squadron associations may have business meetings.  Check at the AWA information desk/bulletin board for times & room assignment.       

   5:00 PM  Hospitality rooms close.

   6:00 PM  Bars open in the Royal Hall Ballroom

   7:00 PM AWA REUNION BANQUET for all AWA reunion attendees in the Royal Hall Ballroom. After dinner, a five-piece band will provide dance music from 8:30 to 11:30 PM.

   11:45 PM   Royal Hall Ballroom closes.     

Sunday, 24 September 2000

    7:30 AM  Hospitality room & reunion information desk opens in the Royal Hall Ballroom.

    8:00 AM  REUNION BUFFET BREAKFAST will be available until 10:30 AM in the Royal Hall Ballroom for those who registered for it.  This is always a good time for farewells and discussing plans for the next reunion.

   10:30 AM  Scheduled Reunion activities end.  Next AWA Reunion in the year 2002.