Education

The CAF was founded to find and preserve World War II-era combat aircraft for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations. The CAF Education initiative has a simple goal that builds on that founding vision – develop a deeper engagement in the communities we serve and continue the legacy of the CAF by delivering world-class educational programming. Together, we will deliver quality, experiential education programs throughout the country via our membership base and 60 unit locations.

Education is our mandate. Our 11,000 members are the proud gatekeepers of a special story, told through flight, events and artifacts. The CAF Education initiative creates a platform for all CAF units and members to share creative and effective tools to reach more people with our important messages. CAFeducation.org is your portal to the flow of information, resources and materials that will enable your unit to run a successful education program.

Whether your unit currently has an education program or this is the first time it has been on your radar, you’ve come the right place. Here you will find great examples of strategies and tactics that have been developed, tested and documented in an easy to use form. These are starting points intended to provide your unit the first steps on a road to a larger-scale, sustainable education program.

ABOUT THE CAF EDUCATION SUPPORT TEAM

The CAF Education support team is a connection point to encourage and enable all units to share their experiences and learn from one another to make each education program robust and vibrant. Tapping into the entrepreneurial spirit of our CAF colonels, we can work together to create and maintain education programs at the unit level that support the CAF mission and core values, which will only improve the overall quality and effectiveness of this world-class organization.

CAFeducation.org facilitates best practices that have been incubated at the National Air Base and originated in the field at the unit level. We are committed to supporting all of our units and volunteers, who are truly the frontline of the CAF and make the biggest impact on communities across the country.

Utilize your CAF Education support team and join in the conversations. Find out how to contact us.

BENEFITS FOR CAF UNITS

Looking to increase meaningful volunteer opportunities and recruit new members? Implementing a successful educational outreach program will not only benefit your community, it will strengthen your current membership base. Capitalize on your unit’s passion to share the inspirational messages of the CAF and inject new energy into your group.

Implementing an educational outreach program will help your unit gain visibility while providing a meaningful service to your community. Decide what kind of activities work best for your current needs and capabilities, and build a solid program based on the foundation of resources provided through CAFeducation.org.

UNIT EDUCATION OFFICERS

Each unit should strive to have an Education Officer to ensure adequate facilitation of your education initiatives that will lead to an overall successful program. The CAF Education support team will provide the guidance and resources needed for this officer to thrive, which will result in an increase to your unit’s community impact.

Connect with your fellow CAF Education Officers!

Special note from CAF Headquarters:

The CAF is the world’s largest flying museum. With more than 165 flying World War II-era aircraft, we have accomplished a great feat of preservation, saving many of these airplanes from the cutting torch, or smelter. To get to the heart of what drives the CAF, and our 11,000 members, it is important to look at why these airplanes were saved.

In truth, our reasoning today for continuing to save and preserve these airplanes, is not altogether different from why our founders pledged themselves to the task more than 60 years ago. The airplanes are a vessel for stories. Human stories of the greatest generation, of courage, perseverance and dedication, but they are also monuments to those who never came back. The airplanes were saved so that these stories could be shared, so that the lessons of the greatest generation would not fade away and be forgotten.

When it comes right down to it – the airplanes were saved for education.