The Tailhook Association is a

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-based

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

fraternal organization A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, " brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity i ...

supporting the interests of sea-based

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot a ...

, with emphasis on

aircraft carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a n ...

. The word

tailhook A tailhook, arresting hook, or arrester hook is a device attached to the empennage (rear) of some military fixed-wing aircraft. The hook is used to achieve rapid deceleration during routine landings aboard aircraft carrier flight decks at sea, ...

refers to the hook underneath the tail of the aircraft that catches the arresting wire suspended across the

flight deck The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. On smaller naval ships which do not have aviation as a primary mission, the landing area for helicopte ...

in order to stop the landing plane quickly.

History

Establishment

The Tailhook Association was formed by active-duty naval aviators in 1956, eventually growing into a national organization headquartered in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...

. During the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

, the annual Tailhook reunion and symposium also served to provide opportunities for aircrews from the

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and Atlantic Fleets to exchange information about events in Southeast Asia. The association evolved into an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to building camaraderie among those that have been a part of the Naval Aviation team. The purpose of the association is to foster, encourage, develop, study and support the aircraft carrier and sea-based aircraft and aircrews. The Tailhook Educational Foundation (TEF) was created in 1992 to educate the nation's public with regard to the history and present day activities of the US Navy carrier aviation community. TEF is a separate non-profit that works closely with, and in support of, the Tailhook Association, providing over 100 scholarships per year to Naval Aviation legacies.

The Tailhook scandal

In September 1991, the 35th annual symposium in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

featured a two-day debriefing on Navy and

Marine Corps Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refl ...

aviation in

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...

. It was the largest such meeting yet held, with 4,000 attendees including active, reserve, and retired personnel. According to a

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(DoD) report, 83 women and 7 men stated that they had been victims of sexual assault and harassment during the meeting. Several participants later stated that a number of

flag officer A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which the officer exercises command. The term is used differently in different countries: *In many countries ...

s attending the meetings were aware of the sexual assaults, but did nothing to stop them. The issues were never settled, and as late as 2002, the Tailhook chairman spoke dismissively of "the alleged misconduct that occurred in 1991".

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reported:

Ultimately the careers of fourteen admirals and almost 300 naval aviators were scuttled or damaged by Tailhook. For example,
Secretary of the Navy The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense. By law, the se ...
H. Lawrence Garrett III and CNO Admiral
Frank Kelso Frank Benton Kelso II (July 11, 1933 – June 23, 2013) was an admiral of the United States Navy, who served as Chief of Naval Operations from 1990 to 1994. Early life Kelso was born in Fayetteville, Tennessee, on July 11, 1933. He attended public ...
were both at Tailhook '91. Garrett ultimately resigned and Kelso retired early two years after the convention.

Author

Jean Zimmerman Jean Zimmerman (born 1957) is an American author, poet and historian. Biography A graduate of Barnard College, Zimmerman earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry from the Columbia University School of the Arts, and was awarded a New York St ...

developed the thesis that the scandal underscored the shifting status of women in the US military and particularly the role of women in combat.

Activities

Among the Tailhook programs are publication of the quarterly journal ''The Hook'', addressing historical and current events coverage; college scholarships via the Tailhook Educational Foundation; and local/regional "ready rooms" for active and retired members who support fleet activities. Some visitors to US Navy aircraft carriers who joined or left the ship on a

Carrier Onboard Delivery Carrier onboard delivery (COD) is the use of aircraft to ferry personnel, mail, supplies, and high-priority cargo, such as replacement parts, from shore bases to an aircraft carrier at sea. Several types of aircraft, including helicopters, have ...

aircraft are issued "Tailhook certificates" by the Navy, commending them for " NAFOD and intestinal fortitude."Mother Jones, 28 Feb 2013
The US Navy Spends $4 Billion On Fuel Every Year
retrieved 23 Aug 2013.

Awards

James D. "Jig Dog" Ramage Award

Tailhooker Of The Year Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Hook Magazine Contributor of the Year

Honorary Tailhooker of the Year

(Sponsored by the

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)