Agenda Item #13
SUBJECT: Never Forget 9/11 Honor Guard
STATEMENT OF QUESTION:
Should a “Never Forget 9/11 Honor Guard” be established?
SOURCE AND DATE SUBMITTED: International President – April 15, 2016
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
As an organization and as individuals we have pledged to Never Forget our Flight Attendant Heroes from September 11. Each year solemn memorials and commemorations take place at the National September 11 Memorial in New York, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA. An official AFA “Never Forget 9/11 Honor Guard” will help to ensure that we honor our pledge and that our Heroes are remembered each year, in perpetuity, with Flight Attendant representatives in uniform.
The 9/11 Honor Guard would be selected by the Executive Board each year from among volunteers in recognition of their service and dedication to projects and events in support of our Never Forget legislative agenda. This is envisioned as a way to recognize service in the cause of our Never Forget initiatives, to attract new activists, to represent our union and our flying partners at these annual memorials, and to educate succeeding generations of Flight Attendants about our 9/11 legacy.
It is anticipated that costs associated with the 9/11 Honor Guard would include a nominal amount of flight pay loss, hotel and travel expenses associated with attending memorial events. The 9/11 Honor Guard would be responsible for placing the flowers already approved by the Board of Directors and for other ceremonial duties in connection with the memorials.
At its September 2015 in-person Meeting, the Executive Board directed that an advanced agenda item be submitted to the 2016 AFA-CWA Board of Directors to establish this Never Forget 9/11 Honor Guard.
PROPOSED RESOLUTION:
WHEREAS, AFA-CWA has pledged to Never Forget our 9/11 Flight Attendant Heroes; and,
WHEREAS, the presence and participation of Flight Attendants in annual 9/11 memorials and ceremonies at the National September 11 Memorial in New York, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA will ensure the memory of our Flight Attendant Heroes;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the AFA-CWA Executive Board directed that an advance agenda item would be submitted to the 2016 AFA-CWA Board of Directors to establish a 9/11 Honor Guard, which would be selected each year from among volunteers in recognition of their service and dedication to projects and events in support of our Never Forget agenda; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the AFA Government Affairs Department, in consultation with the International Officers, shall establish an application form that may be submitted for consideration as an Honor Guard member after volunteer work of one day on our Never Forget agenda with the understanding that members who volunteer may submit an application after each day of activism; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the AFA-CWA Executive Board, pending approval of the AFA-CWA Board of Directors at its 2016 Meeting, shall review the applications during its July meeting and select the first annual Honor Guard for attendance at remembrance services marking the 15th years since the events of September 11, 2001; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that adequate funding shall be provided to ensure that the 9/11 Honor Guard may carry out its duties each year; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the 9/11 Honor Guard shall attend 9/11 memorials and commemorations each year at the National September 11 Memorial in New York, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA to help to represent our Union and to honor the memory of all of our Flight Attendant Heroes.