2024
Navigators Observers
Air Force Re-union
September , 17-19 2024
Waco, Texas
To be held at the Hilton Waco which is located at 113 S. University Parks Dr. Waco, Texas 76701. Room rates are
$149 per night, plus tax. Breakfast is included in the room rate. Self parking at the hotel is complementary. The full
registration fee is $196 per person and includes the following:
Welcoming Package with Name Badge, Itinerary and List of Attendees
Hospitality Room Stocked with Snacks, Beverages & Cocktails both Days
Welcome Dinner
Banquet Dinner
Call the Hilton Waco at 254-754-8484 no later than August 16, 2024, to make your hotel reservations. Be sure
to mention you are with the Air Force Navigators Observers Reunion to receive the group room rate. The
group rate is also available 3 days before and after the reunion dates based on room availability at the hotel.
Tuesday September 17th
2:00pm ~ Registration and Hospitality Room Opens
5:30pm – 6:30pm ~ No Host Cocktails
6:30pm – 9:00pm ~ Dinner Buffet
9:00pm -11:00pm ~ Hospitality Open
Wednesday September 18th
7:30am-9:30am ~ Board Meeting
9:30am-11:30am ~ Membership Meeting
10:00am-3:30pm ~ Hospitality Room Open
4:30pm-5:30pm ~ No Host Cocktails
5:30pm-10:00pm ~ Banquet Dinner & Program
Thursday September 19th
8:30am-12:30pm- Optional Tour ~ James Connally Aerospace Center
OPTIONAL TOUR
Thursday September 19th ~ 8:30am-12:30pm ~ James Connally ~ Cost $46
We will visit James Connally Aerospace Center at Texas State Technical College (James Connally Air Force Base). At the college we will tour the campus, visit the Challenger Learning Center and explore the operations of L3Harris, located on the far side of the base. When the tours are over, we will have a “Farewell Luncheon” at Connally Aerospace Center. This lunch will be prepared by the TSTC Culinary Department. After lunch, we will return to the hotel. If you plan on staying Thursday night at the hotel, please make your hotel reservations early so you can ensure you get a room. This tour will require a minimum of 30 people, if tour should be cancelled for lack of participation, the tour price will be refunded.
Jimmie Hanes The Reunion BRAT
254-405-4765 360-663-2521
jhanes@hot.rr.com thereunionbrat@hotmail.com
COME JOIN US AS WE SHARE OLD MEMORIES AND MAKE NEW ONES!
* Confirmation of registration and schedule will be sent out by August 26, 2024.
CANCELLATION POLICY
• By sending in your registration form, you are agreeing to the cancellation policy.
• A $20 per person cancellation fee will apply to all cancellations received within 30 days of the event.
• Cancellations received within 15 days of the event will be non-refundable.
• Cancellations can ONLY be requested over the phone at 360-663-2521. You will receive a cancellation number; no refund will be issued without this number. Please make sure to keep this number for verification of your cancellation.
Attendees Can Schedule/Plan Tours On Their Own. Below Are A Few Options
Homestead Craft Village
Homestead Craft Village, located 5 miles northwest of Waco, offers shopping, dining, and self-guided tours. The 18-acre complex includes a 200-year old barn, the Potter’s House, a woodworking shop, a restored 1760 gristmill, fiber arts, herb garden, and more. Guided tours are available by appointment. Try the new Apple Cider Mill and Tea Room in the Gristmill. Brazos Valley Cheese and a BBQ shop are also near the location. This traditional crafts village offers demonstrations of woodworking, pottery making, fabric crafts, cheese making, barn building, basket weaving, iron work, and more. Be sure to shop for hand crafted items in the Gift Barn and enjoy lunch or a decadent dessert at Café Homestead. 608 Dry Creek Rd, Waco, TX 76705 (254) 754-9600 http://www.homesteadcraftvillage.com/
Magnolia Market at the Silos
The popular TV stars, Chip and Joanna Gaines, own several businesses in Waco including the Magnolia Market at the Silos, Magnolia Table, Magnolia Press, Silos Baking Co., The Little Shop on Bosque, and Magnolia Realty. In addition, they have product lines for furniture, furnishings, paint, and home decor line at Target. They have several best-selling books. Due to their popularity, the Magnolia Silos became an instant attraction as soon as their doors opened in October 2015. Thousands of visitors make the trek to the Silos each week hoping to catch a glimpse of Chip and Joanna or find some of the great decorative items featured on the show. In addition to the Magnolia Market, visitors can play games on the lawn, grab a bite to eat in the food truck park, have a tasty cupcake at Silos Baking Co., or take a stroll through the garden and shop at Magnolia Seed & Supply. Magnolia Silos Expansion – Not all of 2020 was bad news. The Silos expansion added the Old Church, Shops at the Silos, Magnolia Home, Katy Ballpark, Maggie’s, and Magnolia Table at Concessions. Watch Breaking Ground on Magnolia Network to see it come to life. (254) 235-0603 601 Webster Ave. (corner of 6th and Webster) https://magnolia.com/visit/shop/magnolia-market/
Doris Miller Memorial
World War II hero Doris Miller. Miller was a Cook Third Class that the United States Navy noted for his bravery during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He was the first African American to be awarded the Navy Cross, the third highest honor awarded by the US Navy at the time, after the Medal of Honor and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. Admiral Nimitz personally presented the award to Miller. The Navy Cross now precedes the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. Miller’s acts were heavily publicized in the press, making him an iconic emblem of the war for black Americans. Nearly two years after Pearl Harbor, he was killed in action when his ship Liscome Bay was sunk by a Japanese submarine during the Battle of Makin. On January 19, 2020, the United States Navy announced that aircraft carrier CVN-81 would be named after him. The ship is scheduled to be laid down in 2023 and launched in 2028. 136 N M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Waco, TX 76704 https://dorismillermemorial.org/
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum
Founded in 1968, the museum is the official hall of fame, museum, and archives for the Texas Rangers, the oldest law enforcement agency in the United States and a symbol of the American West. The museum also is the headquarters for Ranger Company F. 100 Texas Ranger Trail, Waco, TX 76706 (254) 750-8631 https://www.texasranger.org/
Waco Suspension Bridge & Cattle Drive Sculptures
Waco’s Historic Suspension Bridge was the longest single-span suspension bridge west of the Mississippi when it was completed in 1870. The bridge was built with cable supplied by the John Roebling Co., who built the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. Crucial to traders and travelers for well over a century, the bridge stands as an icon of Waco history and is the centerpiece of many community festivals and events including the 4th on the Brazos celebration and Brazos Nights concerts. The bridge is flanked by two great Waco parks — Indian Spring Park on the west side, and Martin Luther King, Jr. park on the east side. 101 N University Parks Dr, Waco, TX 76701 (254) 750-8080 http://www.waco-texas.com/cms-parksandrecreation/page.aspx?id=50
Dr Pepper Museum
The Dr Pepper Museum opened to the public in May 1991 and has hosted over 2.5 million visitors. It is located in Waco, Texas and is the home of the Nation’s oldest major soft drink.The Museum is housed in the 1906 Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company building. The 100 year-old building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the “Home of Dr Pepper.” Where better to preserve the history of Dr Pepper than in Waco, the city where it was first served all the way back in 1885? At the Dr Pepper Museum, you’ll learn the complete story behind the oldest soft drink brand in America, in addition to 7UP, Big Red, and others, through the incredible exhibits housed in the original factory. 300 S 5th St, Waco, TX 76701 (254) 757-1024 https://drpeppermuseum.com/