“Bernie K. Skoch has completed his tenure as the Air & Space Forces Association’s 51st Chair of the Board, handing the gavel to his successor, Kathleen Ferguson, on October 1.”
Skoch was also instrumental in bringing Lt. Gen. Burt Field, USAF (Ret.) on board as AFA’s President & CEO in 2024.
“AFA owes a debt of gratitude to Bernie, for his leadership over a long and distinguished Air Force career and through his many years at AFA, culminating as Chair of the Board,” Field said. “From founding CyberPatriot, to stewarding AFA’s major events, to his volunteer leadership of our Board of Directors, Bernie has been a leader, mentor, advisor, and source of wisdom for countless individuals. Thank you, Bernie, for all you’ve done for the Air & Space Forces Association, for Airmen, Guardians, and their Families, and for tens of thousands of students, whose experience with AFA’s education programs will leave a lifelong positive impression.”
(By Patrick Reardon, AFA)

After 3 years of leadership as Chair of the Board of the AFA, Bernie K. Skoch will be happy to pass the gavel to Kathleen Ferguson. It was 2010 when Koch joined the AFA staff which eventually led to his Chair of the Board position in 2022.
In listing Arkansas as his home, Bernie explains “We grew up (Bernie and his wife) in central Arkansas, went to school at the University of Arkansas. Went into the Air Force and travelled all around including lots of time in DC and the Pentagon and finally retired back to Arkansas.”

(Northern Sentry) We talk about giving back, it seems you gave a lot back to the AFA?
Skoch: “I still believe the net balance is in my favor. I don’t think I’ve given any more than I’ve received. I’ve been very fortunate to have great relationships, and great associations through AFA…so I don’t look at it as giving back as much as still reaping the rewards of the wonderful community of Airmen & Space Force Guardians. That is what is enriching to me.

(Northern Sentry) Are you able to pick out some of the highlights of your AFA tenure?
Skoch: “Understand that it’s a volunteer organization, so nothing is done by command. You grow up in a military culture and people do things because you have the uniform code of military justice backing you up. When you are in a volunteer organization like this it’s hard and gentle persuasion that prevails, so anything that is done successfully is only done when you have the support of the volunteers. We’ve done some amazing things financially. The association is far healthier today than it was 3 years ago. It’s nothing that I have done, it’s what the board of directors has done, it’s what the membership has done, it’s what our treasurer has done, it’s what the team leaders has done and it’s what our treasurer has done, Chuck Martin, he has done a wonderful job, so I reflect on that very fondly. We’ve created a couple of new committees. Our history and heritage committee. I’ve been genuinely concerned that people are aging out. The are mostly in their 70’s. I worry that we are going to lose that, so we formed a committee and we are doing some tangible things to collect histories. And I think there is general revitalization, and you can feel the energy that’s been building over the few years. The field operations committee under Chris Canada has done some great things. And our STEM programs, CyberPatriots and StellarExplorers, they are having a measurable effect on generating interest in science, technology and math amongst young people from kindergarteners up to college age. I take some great pleasure in the staff that has made that happen. There are a couple of studies out of Canada…if you don’t affect a young person by the time they are 14 years old as to career choices you are never going to reach them. You can’t take a high school senior and nudge them toward a STEM career if they haven’t already got that disposition.

(Northern Sentry) Can you ever step away?
Skoch: I need to throttle back a little bit. I am an astronomy nut so I do astrophotography, I’m a HAM radio geek. We have 22 grandkids all in northwest Arkansas…there’s no shortage of things to occupy my time and I’m looking forward to it.

Next Week! A sit down interview with Kathleen Feguson, the new Chair of the Board for AFA, who assumed her position on October 1, 2025.