A Message from NWA President John Scala

Where would the NWA be without volunteers? Yes, I know this is a rhetorical question, yet, our existence as an organization and to a greater extent, as a human society is more reliant than ever upon the time and resources of an unpaid army of dedicated souls. In this era of tightening budgets and stretched resources, the National Weather Association is certainly blessed to find a cadre of dedicated volunteers among its membership of more than 3000. I am grateful to each and every one of you for the countless hours you commit to the vision of the NWA. There is something truly inspirational about working with a group of people whose timecard will never be submitted. Thank you!

I invite you to stroll over to the NWA home page with me and take a look at the menu along the left-side margin. You will notice it is populated by an extensive list of activities, publications, resources and links to our 13 committees which range from Aviation Meteorology to Weather Analysis & Forecasting. The Awards Committee, chaired by Dan McCarthy consists of 11 volunteers who work exceptionally hard to evaluate nominees for the more than one dozen annual awards. These awards recognize the meritorious service of our members or those in the field of meteorology (in the case of a group award) whose actions promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities. Individual award descriptions as well as nomination procedures and links to last year's award winners can be accessed on the annual awards page (http://www.nwas.org/awards/index.php).

Many of these awards are achievement or service based; some recognize an individual, others are group oriented. Our reliance on the critical role played by the operational community in saving lives during a weather disaster can never be overstated as the devastating tornado outbreaks of February 5, and May 1-2 of this year remind us. It was just one year ago that a 1.7 mile-wide tornado destroyed the town of Greensburg, KS. Eleven of the 1500 residents perished as winds estimated as high as 205 mph ripped through the heart of this small community. Mike Umscheid received the Operational Achievement Award in Reno this past October for his exceptional warning and call to action statements during the May 4, 2007 Kansas tornado outbreak. These events prompt me to ask you to consider nominating a colleague, a mentor, or a chapter for recognition at the 2008 annual meeting in Louisville. We owe a debt of gratitude to those individuals who go beyond the job description. Remember, award nominations are due July 1st which is not that far away! Again, please consider nominating a deserving individual or group.

Thank you for your continued support of the National Weather Association. Please contact me with any suggestions, ideas or concerns at President@nwas.org. I look forward to hearing from you!

John Scala, President