About

About Us

The Dallas Military Ball will celebrate its 46^th consecutive annual event 17 April, 2010 Established in 1965 by representatives of the Air Force Association, Association of the U S Army, Navy League, Marine Corps Association and other Reserve and National Guard organizations, the Dallas Military Ball has become a unified military voice for the greater Dallas/ Ft Worth Metroplex area. The first Ball in this present series was held on February 13, 1965, at the Statler Hilton Hotel in downtown Dallas with over 500 attendees with tickets priced at $ 7.50/person. Dedicated to honoring both Active and Reserve forces, the Dallas Military Ball offers a unique opportunity to salute those who are serving, thank those who have served and pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

In the Fall of 1964, Dr Walter Hesse who was employed with Chance Vought as an aeronautical engineer working in the R & D area, conceived the idea of having a Dallas Military Ball. He was a graduate of the V-12 program from the U S Naval Academy in 1945. Working on a US Air Force contract for Chance Vought, he organized the Dallas Chapter of the Air Force Association. Dr Hesse then gathered a representative from the Reserve Officers Association, Association of the U S Army and the Navy League, with all acting as co- chairmen, the four of them organized the first Ball. In 1966 the Dallas Military Ball was incorporated and elected officers and directors and still operates in that same manner. Also, in 1966, the Dallas Military Ball was privileged to have its first Patron, Mr James Ling of LTV. The selection of a civilian patron has continued each year to the present with patrons representing both civilian and/or defense industries.

Underwritten by Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex citizens and business organizations, the Dallas Military Ball is a formal affair, mess dress for the military and black tie for other guests. Complete with military pageantry, a strong military presence and entertainment, these Balls have afforded the opportunity for the community to meet members of our Armed Forces including the senior leadership. General and Flag officers representing all of our Armed Forces and local Military Commanders are also regular attendees. While the primary purpose of the Ball is to honor the military, net proceeds, if any, from the Ball will be distributed to military relief agencies. Since the first Ball, over $1.3M has been distributed to these organizations.

The host service for the 2010 Ball is the US Army. We are very pleased to have Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control as our Patron for the Ball this year. The Chief of Staff, US Army has accepted to be Our Special Guest of Honor. The President of the Dallas Military Ball Corporation is Lieutenant General Dennis D. Cavin, US Army (Retired) and the General Chairman for this year’s Ball is Colonel Charlie Walker, US Army (Retired). The Ball committee is composed of representatives from all the Armed Forces. All the members volunteer their time and effort to present the Ball and much credit must also be given to the local community for their generous support.