AFSA President makes stop at Hurlburt Published Feb. 16, 2007 By Staff Sgt. Angela Shepherd 1st SOW Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The president visited Hurlburt Field Tuesday. No, not that one - the one who's in charge of lobbying Washington D.C. for the well-being of every single enlisted member in the Air Force. Enlisted Airmen of all ranks filled the base theater to hear what retired Chief Master Sgt. John McCauslin, the international president of the Air Force Sergeants Association, had to say. And the message he delivered was the numerous success stories AFSA has celebrated for the sake of enlisted Airmen. AFSA exists solely for the purpose of representing the professional and personal interests of all Air Force active duty, reserve, Guard and retired enlisted members and their families, not just the sergeants. "I exist to make sure the non-AFSA world knows what AFSA is," Mr. McCauslin said. "What we achieve not only affects our junior Airmen and NCOs, but the four-star generals sitting up on the hill as well." To help get the word out about AFSA and its agendas, Mr. McCauslin spends about three weeks of every month on the road visiting various Air Force bases and hitting the hot spots in Washington. All this time on the road has paid its dividends. In recent years, AFSA has pushed for and gotten improvements in medical, educational and retirement benefits, as well as pay and allowances. One success story they're proud of in the medical realm is the removal of member responsibility for paying for meals while in the hospital after a combat-related wound. "Sure, our wounded Airmen received the finest treatment while they were in the hospital recovering, but once they were discharged, they were thrown a bill for meals," Mr. McCauslin said. "We pushed until they didn't have to pay for any at all." The retired chief says there's a good reason why the lawmakers and the public should listen to what AFSA has to say. "The Air Force makes up less than one percent of the population, and we defend the other 99 percent. So the public owes us something," Mr. McCauslin said. All this success requires a lot of hard work, not just on the part of the local AFSA chapters and divisions, but from the president as well. So, one might think that being in such a position of power would bring with it a hefty salary, but that's not quite right. "I don't get paid one cent," Mr. McCauslin added. "I do what I do because after serving 32 years in our Air Force, it's imperative that I give something back." For more information, visit www.afsahq.org or www.chap567.afsa.net.