We here at MFRI are looking skyward to wish the men, women, families and veterans of the United States Air Force a very happy 70th birthday.
As the youngest of the Armed Services, the USAF has a rich history. The U.S. Army purchased its first aircraft in 1909, only six years after the Wright Brothers made their first flight. World War II demonstrated the value of airpower and the need for an independent air service.
The Air Force officially came into being when President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act on September 18, 1947. Since then, the men and women of the USAF have played a vital and often decisive role in all of America’s conflicts.
Air Force planes and personnel have also undertaken hundreds of humanitarian missions, delivering life-saving supplies to victims of natural and man-made disasters. The Air Force today is the second-largest branch of service, with nearly 330,000 members on active duty and 71,000 Reserves.
More than half of Air Force personnel (57.5 percent) have families, a total of 445,000 spouses, children and other dependents who serve and sacrifice alongside their loved ones. The number of Air Force veterans is estimated at 4.1 million.
Purdue Air Force ROTC Detachment 220 is home to nearly 130 future Air Force leaders, commissioning more than 15 rated positions of pilot and navigator each year, along with a variety of other career fields. MFRI salutes these patriots and their families, who give much in service to our nation.