A C5, quietly, lands as Dennis Eberly, Vice Chair DE Wing and Lee Chambers, Eagle Chairman, start their tour of the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover during their visit in January 7, 2026.

Though the commander had to go to another meeting, we thank the 436th SFS for a super sit down with the outgoing leadership of the Defenders Association and we presented them with a check days before the Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. See the image and article below about our visit.

Question to our members - when have you asked a current or former Defender to join our association? We need your active involvement to recruit new members. The process is easy-peasy. Send them a link to review the library of newsletters on our website. See the link below (or click here) and or also send them the link to our "Apply" page on our website to start the application process directly to the AFSA Online membership link. By joining the association through AFSFA, you've provided free membership into Eagle Chapter AFSFA. Once they sign up, encourage them to contact me so that I can immediately add them to our membership roster where they can receive newsletters directly as they are published.

Thanks for all that you do, and I look forward to your contributions this year.

Very respectfully,

//Lee//

Elia C. (Lee) Chambers, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Eagle Chapter Air Force Security Forces Association

P. O. Box 334

Gainesville, Virginia 20156-0334

Email: chairman@afspaeagle.com | C: 571-302-0992

Click here to see our previous newsletter or click here to go to our Resources page on our website to browse our previous newsletters.

Eagle Chapter AF Security Forces Association membership is FREE to all AF Security Forces Association members who work or live in DC, DE, MD, VA, and WV and other locations. Email me for more information.

DONATIONS. THROUGH OUR DONORS ONLY - are we able to serve our Defenders, their families, their units, and our military heritage. Everything you see here has been provided by your donations. Your donations enable our enthusiastic support now, through the holidays and beyond. Click the QR Code to donate or click here.

A great thanks to the 436th Security Forces Squadron Commander and his team for inviting us to provide an orientation to the unit. A day or so before our meet, the commander was called away to another engagement, we proceeded and met with Senior Airman Shelby Murray, President Defenders Association (DA) also a member of their investigations unit and Senior Airman Keenan Smith, Vice President DA and a member of the 436th SFS Command Support Staff. We also asked the 512th SFS (AFRES) to send over a member if available. Master Sergeant David Ybarra, Combat Arms Section Chief 512th SFS Dover (AFRES), joined us.

To see our video tour of the 436th SFS Heritage Room please click here.

To Eagle Member Jennifer (retired Lt Col USAF and retired SES-2): MSgt Ybara (on left in photo at right) remembers you when you were commander of the 512th SFS. Maybe you can join us next time.

Our action items were to get the word out about our chapter. We need to change our 30 minute pitch to a 5 min Guardmount pitch and a 15-minute Commander's Call pitch. We also agreed to come back to present our pitch to the new DA officers after their elections. So, we have work to do that would benefit all of our Defender units in Eagle Country. Thanks again for a welcome. The commander did join us as we toured the 436th SFS Heritage Room.

In the photo above at left, Dennis Eberly, Vice Chair Delaware Wing, presents the Eagle Chapter donation of $500.00 to the 436th SFS Defenders Association officers.

Click here to see a video of the 436th SFS Heritage Room.

The image above shows CMSgt Richard Sherman, 436th SFS SEL Dover AFB DE. The Chief was our project manager for the Dover leg of the ruck march. Here, Chief Sherman handed off the Team Defensor Fortis Guidon flag to the 436th SFS Ruck March Team Captain, a 1st Lieutenant (whose name I do not have). The Lt affixes the 436th SFS streamer to the DF Guideon flag then poses with his team and later Eagle Chairman and our banner. This image shows the team that transitioned from the Andrews leg of the march to the Dover leg. 

Dennis, I have uploaded all of the photos that I took on Sep 2, 2011, at that change over point on our board's Google Drive Share. See the Dover January 2026 Visit folder. Our Defenders at Dover might know these Defenders and others in the photos. The photos show both Andrews and Dover Defenders that were at that ruck march team changeover location.

An artifact in the 436th SFS Heritage Room caught my attention. Click on the video link above. The Defensor Fortis Ruck Flag that you'll see in the display case has a special streamer affixed to it. That streamer reads "AF Security Forces Ruck March to Remember." Our chapter issued 504 of these flags with streamers to every participant in the 10th anniversary remembrance of 9/11 where SF units ruck marched from the AF Security Forces Center in San Antonio, TX to the Pentagon, Shanksville PA, and Ground Zero New York City. With the help of AFSFA chapters, and HQ AFSFA, we also provided a wreath that was placed at each of the attack locations.

Another benefit of our visit was an impromptu tour of the Air Mobility Command Museum where we met a retired Defender, Brian Smith, shown above, who was our tour guide. Brian asked us to get the word out to Defenders. The museum needs volunteer tour guides. It's an easy gig where the volunteer can pick his/her hours as they can be available. Contact Dennis if interested by clicking here.

Click here for more information about the Air Mobility Command Museum in nearby Dover AFB DE.

What's a visit to Dover without a C5 landing. :-) Click here to see how amazingly quiet these huge marvels have become.

Congratulations to our Security Forces units at Minot's 91st SFG ND and Aviano's 31st SFS in Italy for successful submission and approval of their Defenders applications. NLEOM informally notified me on January 27. More information to follow next month with the formal notification. The hardest work begins to invite the families to come to DC for the formal dedication of their loved one's name and to attend our reception held in their honor.

I reminded NLEOM to notify Brig General Brian Filler, HQ USAF Director of Security Forces and to invite him to the reading of these Defender names at the Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2026. This has been an oversight in the past.

Again, thanks to Phil Ferris for hanging in there and following up with the National Archives during the longest federal government shutdown in history. Phil is still waiting on them to deliver artifacts needed for other Defenders.

Eagle Chapter provides this invitation on behalf of the National LE Officers Memorial Fund and the VA COPS for the game that will be held at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC as the Washington Wizards team up and support the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Basketball Fans - SPECIALLY PRICED TICKETS start at just $40.65, and $5.00 will be donated to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. 

Click here or on the image above to register or for more information.

For Questions, VIP experiences or group seating of 10 or more, please reach out to Wizards Account Representative James Piesco.

And You're Invited to our February Meeting!

Our chapter board meetings are open to all members. Contact Lt Col Wruck, our Chapter Secretary, and she'll send you the call-in information and documents related to the previous board meeting.

Our board meeting calls are now being used online via Microsoft Teams. Join us by contacting her for more information and testing your set up.

Donors can click the image above or click here. If you are sending a check, please note our new address.

Eagle Chapter, Air Force Security Forces Association

P.O. Box 334

Gainesville, VA 20156-0334

(571) 302-0992

Click the Donate button on any page of our website to give.