The Annual USAF Aircrew Life Support/Aircrew Flight Equipment Reunion

The 29th Annual Aircrew Life Support/Aircrew Flight Equipment Reunion will be held September 21-24, 2026, in Biloxi, Mississippi. The 20th and 25th are travel days. The Reunion will be centered at the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino, located at 850 Bayview Avenue, just off Interstate 110. Anyone who works or has worked in any profession related to saving or protecting aircrew lives is invited to attend. Just like last year, an anonymous donor has volunteered to pay the reunion registration and dinner fees for all former career field members. All reunion attendees must complete and submit the reunion registration form before the 15 July 2026 cutoff date. Sorry, but active-duty members are not included in this paid registration and dinner fees.

This year’s event, hosted by the 403rd Airlift Wing at Keesler AFB, promises to be an “Outstanding” get-together. Government and industry representatives interested in attending and addressing the group should complete the registration form and notify Steve Wyatt at spwsango@att.net or Bob McElwain at bob.mcelwain@charter.net as soon as possible. Active-duty military members and industry partners are encouraged to attend this annual event.

REUNION BADGE: If you attended one of our previous reunions and were issued a reunion name badge, please bring it with you, or indicate on the reunion registration form that you or your guest needs a badge. New name badges will only be issued to first-time attendees. All reunion attendees must have a name badge. Guest name badges will be issued to anyone who does not have one.

GOLF TOURNAMENT: If you plan to participate in our golf tournament, please contact Dave Chitwood. Dave can be contacted via phone at (850) 543 7771, email at pantoum5@gmail.com, or by mail at 9792 Corbett Place, Manassas Park, VA 20111.

SPA DAY: Mrs. Joan Shepherd, of our reunion welcome committee, has organized a spa day at the hotel for the ladies or for anyone who wants to relax and be pampered. The cost will be as follows: Massage 25 minutes $25.00; Massage 50 minutes $115 – $ 135; Massage 80 minutes $165; PEDI $55- $ 95, depending on what you want; and MANICURE $55 – $ 95, also depending on what you want. You have to make your reservation from the phone in your hotel room.

FAREWELL DINNER: All registered reunion attendees are invited to our Thursday evening dinner. Dress for this affair will be semi-formal, but it is not mandatory. An equivalent uniform is preferred for active-duty military.

DOMINOES TOURNAMENT: A suggested dominoes tournament will be added to the reunion agenda. Anyone attending the reunion who owns a set of dominoes is asked to bring it.

HOTEL RESERVATION: Hotel rates for single or double occupancy are $84.99 per night, plus a $12 resort fee per room, per night, for Sunday, September 20, through Thursday, September 24. Make your reservations before August 31, 2026, by visiting the hotel website at http://www.ipbiloxi.com/groups then scroll down and enter the Group Code: AIRI26C and hit submit. Select your check-in and check-out dates and hit done. Now you just need to select one or two beds, then proceed to checkout. Or you may call the hotel’s reservations department directly at (888) 946-2847, press 1 for reservations, and identify yourself as a member of the “USAF ALS/AFE Reunion,” or by using the Group Code: AIRI26C. Reservations must be guaranteed with a major credit card. The first night’s room and tax will be charged at the time of reservation. Checks cannot be accepted at check-in or check-out. Check-in time begins at 4 pm, and checkout time is by 11 am. All guests are required to present a valid credit or debit card and a valid photo ID at check-in. A $100 security deposit authorization will be immediately placed on the account associated with the presented card. If using a debit card, this authorization may affect the account balance for up to 30 days. IP Casino Resort Spa cannot assume liability for overdrawn accounts. Credit cards are recommended.

HOTEL CANCELLATION POLICY: Guaranteed guest room reservations can be canceled at least twenty-four (24) hours before 4 pm of the arrival date. Rooms released less than twenty-four (24) hours before arrival are subject to a cancellation penalty equal to the first night’s room rate plus tax.
REUNION REGISTRATION: Complete the registration form and mail it to the address indicated NLT July 15, 2026. To cancel your reservation, contact me, Bob McElwain, NLT August 31, 2026, via email or at 760-684-3790. REMEMBER, THE REUNION REGISTRATION AND DINNER FEES ARE FREE FOR ALL FORMER PE, SE, AFE, AND ALS PERSONNEL. If you are paying your registration and dinner fees and your bank supports it, you may use Cash App to pay them. Enter bob.mcelwain@charter.net as the recipient and email your registration form, or mail it to me.

AIRLINE RESERVATIONS: Several Airports are available for price comparison. Gulfport/Biloxi, Pensacola, Mobile, and New Orleans are all relatively short drives. Shopping around could save “Big Money” on travel-related expenses, but make sure you factor in the cost of getting to and from those airports.

2026 REGISTRATION FORM

Reunion Proposals

Click the link above to learn more about our reunion.  If you are interested in hosting a future reunion, download the worksheet below, complete it, and email it to bob.mcelwain@charter.net NLT four weeks before this year’s reunion.  All proposals will be presented to the attendees of our upcoming reunion for selection of the next or a future reunion. The selected locations will be announced shortly after our next reunion.

Worksheet-For-A-Future-Reunion

PAST REUNIONS