United through service and sacrifice, we stand with veterans and families.

We value courage, respect, care and compassion.

Vision – To be recognised as a leading supporter of veterans and their families.

Tagline – Uniting veterans, enriching lives.

Supporting the well-being of veterans & their families, fostering camaraderie & commemorating our history.

Strategic Objectives and Key Initiatives

The Board has developed five strategic objectives with high-level key initiatives being set out against each objective as follows:

1. Collaboration & Partnerships: 

• Continue to build relationships and develop opportunities with the Air Force, Divisions, other ESOs, sponsors and business partners.

2. Commemoration: 

• Prioritise Fellowship, Heritage, Recognition and Storytelling.

3. Service & Support Programs: 

• Advocate to Governments, DVA and other ESOs for veterans and their families.
• Take up advocacy positions in Veterans’ and Families’ hubs.
• Grow the Ambassador Program.
• Support veterans and family members who are homeless or in necessitous circumstances.

4. Grow Membership & Community Support: 

• Utilise social networks, paid memberships, and volunteers, reaching out to serving Air Force members.

5. Financial Sustainability: 

• Plan a capital appeal and apply for Deductible Gift Recipient status.

The Air Force Association proudly has its genesis in the Australian Army based Australian Flying Corps Association that was established in 1920 in the aftermath of the Great War.  

Australian Flying Corps (AFC) veterans in Melbourne celebrating the Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith epoch-making first flight from England to Australia agreed to establish an association with the aim of keeping their colleagues together and to raise funds to support their members who needed assistance.  This meeting on February 26th, 1920 is considered the birth date of the Association. 

State-based chapters were later formed. The Association’s time-honoured aims to foster friendships developed during Service, honour and preserve the memory of comrades who served and died, provide for the welfare of members, and support airpower development (now Air Force) endure today.

The AFC was disbanded along with the rest of the Australian Imperial Force in 1919, following the end of hostilities. It was temporarily replaced by the Australian Air Corps, that was subsequently re-established as the independent Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1921.  AFC notables such as Harry Cobby (WW1 fighter ace), Richard Williams (later Sir Richard and first Chief of the Air Staff RAAF), Lawrence Wackett, and Henry Wrigley played founding roles in the early development of the RAAF.

The onset of World War II saw many eligible AFC veterans join the RAAF.  The Australian Flying Corps Association that had started with a small number of AFC veterans adapted to the changing environment and became the ‘Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force Association’ to enable members of the RAAF to join alongside their AFC colleagues.

After the war, the Association adopted the shorter title, ‘Air Force Association’ although its formal name was ‘Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force Association’. Over the last seventy years, there have been several iterations of its title but in 2016, when the Association’s National entity became a Company Limited by Guarantee the title was formally changed to reflect its early commonly referred title, ‘Air Force Association’, which is also in keeping with the RAAF’s branding as ‘Air Force’.  Some State/Territory Divisions have followed suit. Today, the Air Force Association is a coalition of separately incorporated State/Territory Divisions under a national entity.

Among the former members of the AFC were many whose names were significant in the aviation history of Australia.

The most well known was Lieutenant Colonel Richard Williams, who became the first Chief of Air Staff (CAS) of the Royal Australian Air Force, formed on 31 March 1921, some months after the AFC Association was formed. He was CAS for seventeen years, rising to the rank of Air Marshal, the first member of the Royal Australian Air Force to do so. Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams’ long career as National President of the Association continued until 1966, when he became the Association’s first President of Honour.

Initially, membership in the Association was restricted to those men who had served in any Branch of His Majesty’s Air Forces, in war. The Air Force Association played a major part in organising welfare facilities for airmen in the capital cities and in looking after the many welfare problems which arose. In 1947, members of the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force were accorded full membership of the Air Force Association.

Today, with the Air Force Association’s strong focus on veteran and family support, membership is open to all former and currently serving members of the Royal Australian Air Force and other Australian Defence Force veterans and families.

It also welcomes the members of those admirable organisations, the Australian Air Force Cadets (the successor of the Air Training Corps), and the Australian Air League, and similar organisations having an interest in aviation.  Although the membership emphasis is on those within the veteran community, the Association is pleased to provide membership to any person who supports the Association’s values and objectives.

The Association has broadened its potential membership base to include spouses/widows(ers), children and siblings of members of the Association.

The Constitution of Air Force Association Ltd is below:

AFA signed Constitution adopted 23-02-08

Additional important governance links:

ACNC:  https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/892bd5cbe3e1ddabc784ab546f9abd9e

Corporations Act 2001: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2017C00328

Air Marshal Robert Chipman, AO, AM, CSC is Patron of the Air Force Association.

His biography can be viewed at https://www.airforce.gov.au/our-people/our-leaders /chief-air-force

Wing Commander (Retd) Sharon Bown, RN, FACN, is an Official Ambassador of the Air Force Association.

Read more about Sharon Bown at https://www.sharonbown.com.au

The Air Force Association enjoys a strong, collaborative relationship will all the major veteran support organisations operating in Australia. 

AFA is a member of Department of Veterans’ Affairs ESO Round Table (ESORT) that comprises ESOs represented at the national level.  ESORT membership can be viewed by visiting https://www.dva.gov.au/about-us/overview/consultations-and-grants/how-we-consult-ex-service-community/eso-round-table-esort.

The Association is also a founding member of the Alliance of Defence Service Organisations (ADSO) and remains closely connected with the Defence Force Welfare Association (DFWA).