Our Mission:
The North Texas Coalition of Uniformed Service Academies (NTCUSA) Parents’ Clubs is dedicated to honoring and recognizing all area North Texas Cadets and Midshipmen who attend one of our five United States Uniformed Service Academies through an annually and collectively organized event: the North Texas (NTCUSA) Holiday Ball. Typically and in recent years, this annual event is comprised of a formal evening program. The evening begins with a Grand March of all attending cadets and midshipmen, an Honor Guard from the 301st Fighter Wing at NAS-JRB, formal seated dinner, keynote speaker, a program of special recognition for our graduating cadets and midshipmen, gifts and commemorative challenge coins for each of our attending cadets and midshipmen, as well as dancing and entertainment. This North Texas Holiday Ball showcases our true Texas hospitality and undeniable pride in our military service members. All cadets and midshipmen are welcomed along with their invited family and friends; active duty and retired military officers, congressional aides, and other dignitaries and special guests are welcomed to help celebrate the occasion as well.
About Us:
In 1993, volunteers from each of the five North Texas Service Academy Parents’ Clubs established the NTCUSA in order to produce a celebratory event to honor and recognize the cadets and midshipmen from the North Texas area. A formal military style ball, held at Christmastime, when all of the cadets and midshipmen were home for the holidays, was determined to be the best way to do this.
The first Holiday Ball was held in 1993 with only 250 attendees. In recent years, it has grown upwards to 1,000 guests; over 200 of those attending being cadets and midshipmen. Guests include family and friends, government and military dignitaries, not to mention active duty and retired military officers as well.
Organizational leadership for the Holiday Ball event rotates between the five service academy parents’ clubs in North Texas, with volunteer representatives from all of the clubs taking various planning roles. The 2010 Holiday Ball was hosted by the North Texas Naval Academy Parents’ Club; this 2011 event will be hosted by the North Texas US Air Force Academy Parents’ Club. The 2012 event will then be hosted by the USCGA (Coast Guard) and the USMMA (Merchant Marine) Parents’ Clubs of North Texas. 2013 should then pass to USMA (West Point) Parents’ Club of North Texas.
This event is underwritten by citizens and business organizations that enable NTCUSA to keep the annual Holiday Ball tradition intact through their in-kind donations and monetary sponsorships. Thus the NTCUSA Holiday Ball is able to provide an outstanding and memorable evening for all without having to pass along the rising costs of such a formal affair along to the invitees. These relationships have been and will continue to be paramount to the success of the NTCUSA Holiday Ball.