President's Message 

Welcome to the East Coast Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

I was 19 and a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado when I first heard about the Tuskegee Airmen and their legendary military aviation achievements.

More than 30 years later, I was honored to meet five of the World War II-era airmen in person at the College Park Aviation Museum in Maryland during a meeting of the East Coast Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (ECCTAI). It was my first ECCTAI meeting, and inspired by their achievements, I joined the organization. Over the next eight years, I invested my time with the chapter helping to carry out the airmen’s vision of inspiring minority youth to pursue careers in aviation and aerospace.

I served as financial secretary, membership chair and nominations committee chair. I also assisted with the Herbert H. Jones Jr. Youth in Aviation Program, which evolved into one of my most impactful achievements: launching the Youth in Aviation Program of Southern Maryland in 2021. Since its creation, more than 25 teens have enrolled in the program that exposes them to aerospace sciences.

My evolution continues. In December 2024, I accepted the reins of leadership as president of ECCTAI, marking an exciting and fulfilling turn in my tenure with the chapter. I am honored to help continue the vision of the airmen, as I pilot the largest and most active chapter in the Tuskegee Airmen organization.

A passing of the baton

As I take the helm, my first duty is to thank former ECCTAI President Mr. Jerome Hodge for his dedication, service and governance of the chapter over the past four years. Jerome balanced the rigors of managing one of the most successful aviation maintenance companies in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area, while steering ECCTAI through challenges and triumphs, including milestone events, national awards and the COVID pandemic. 

During Jerome’s stint, the chapter experienced growth and executed many successful events. They included the annual local-area Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day; his company-sponsored annual Youth Flight Day, which introduces the joy of flying to young people; and the yearly General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Golf Classic fundraiser.

I’m deeply grateful to Jerome for his tireless work and will continue to lean on his experience, insight and expertise.

As the new ECCTAI president, my north star remains the ECCTAI mission: honoring the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, supporting ECCTAI’s Youth in Aviation Program and scholarship programs, and promoting diversity in aviation and aerospace.

Future goals

Here are my goals for the chapter as I begin my two-year term as president:

EXPAND HOW ECCTAI GENERATES ITS INCOME TO SUSTAIN THE CHAPTER. While we will always celebrate the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, we must also laser-focus on helping to fuel and diversify the pipeline of aviation and aerospace professionals. During my 22-year Air Force career, I was a combat search and rescue helicopter command pilot. The Tuskegee Airmen paved the way for my career success. Like them, I intend to help pave the way for others. We must pursue other income-generating strategies beyond traditional corporate and individual donations to ensure the chapter’s sustainment and long-term impact. Including aviation groups, we plan to engage with the technology sector, federal government partners, foundations and even other nonprofits.

INCREASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND AWARENESS. We plan to host more public events, such as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day, the annual golf classic and our Youth Achievement Recognition Breakfast, which will help educate the community about the Tuskegee Airmen’s legacy, vision and mission. Some of these events will include collaborations with kindergarten through 12^th-grade and college students, as well as aviation organizations and businesses.

ENGAGED WITH A YOUNGER GENERATION. We are reaching out to younger members to join ECCTAI. This is not only good succession planning for our chapter but aligns with the Tuskegee Airmen’s vision to stimulate young people’s interest in aviation and aerospace careers. We are planning outreach to DMV-area active-duty service members, military veterans, students at local high schools and HBCUs, as well as young professionals in federal agencies that focus on careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Why? According to a 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics report, 92.4% of aircraft pilots and flight engineers are white, while 3.6% are Black. Our goal is to help improve those numbers.

Join us

In the meantime, I hope to see you at our regular general chapter meetings, which are held in person from noon to 2 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month at the College Park Aviation Museum in College Park, Maryland. The meetings are also held virtually on ZOOM.

You can support ECCTAI by joining our chapter and sharing your time and expertise with our youth; and donating financially to our Youth in Aviation and scholarship  programs.

I’m grateful for this opportunity to help continue the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. Together, we can ascend to new heights.

Sincerely,

H. Thomas “Tommy” Herndon Jr.

President
East Coast Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.
President@ecctai.org