Reports from the Chapter President on issues of interest to Chapter members.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE OCTOBER 2026

President’s Message

by Brig. Gen. David “Mudd” Ciesielski, USAF (Ret)

As we kick off another season of fellowship, service, and Never Stop Serving, I want to thank every officer, committee member, and volunteer who keeps the Luke Chapter strong. Your work on scholarships, emergency grants, Turkeys for Troops, our Surviving Spouse program, and the dinners that bring us together makes a real difference for our members, the Luke AFB community, and West Valley veterans and families.

A little about me: I’m a retired Air Force general officer who spent the last part of my career as Director of Manpower, Personnel, Recruiting and Services for the Air National Guard, with plenty of time on Capitol Hill fighting for our people. After hanging up the uniform, I founded JackRabbit Solutions LLC, a veteran-owned pilot car and escort service that moves oversized loads (including SpaceX components) across the Southwest. I’m also proud to lead this chapter—established in 1982 and a 5-star MOAA chapter—and to keep our focus on advocacy, camaraderie, and taking care of those who served.

This year we continue our core missions while expanding our local presence in the community throughout the year: college scholarships for military-family students, emergency assistance grants for veterans and families facing housing or utility crises, support for local JROTC programs, and our partnership with Luke AFB First Sergeants on Turkeys for Troops. We’re facing continuing challenges with membership—we’re down to about 127—and always looking for members to join committees, recruit a fellow officer or surviving spouse, or simply show up for dinner and share the load.

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your chapter president. Please keep your recruiting hat on, invite a friend, and let us know how you want to contribute. If you have any ideas on how to improve the chapter’s activities and website, submit them to the board at https://www.lukemoaa.org/Email-Form. Together we strengthen our community and live the motto every day.

Never Stop Serving!

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