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The Association of Old Crows (AOC) is a professional non-profit association for the electromagnetic warfare (EW) and spectrum operations community. It is a membership society that runs a journal, conferences, courses, chapters and scholarships. It is not a government agency and it does not award research grants. This page, based on AOC’s own pages as read on 2026-11-08, explains what the association is, who can join and at what price, and how it relates to defense research and sponsored-program work.
What the Association of Old Crows is
AOC describes itself as “a professional non-profit association that educates, connects, and advocates on behalf of its members and stakeholders across the global electromagnetic warfare (EW) and spectrum operations community” (crows.org/mission-and-history, read 2026-11-08). Its stated vision spans government, defense, industry and academia, and the air, land, maritime, space and cyber domains. The site states about 12,000 members internationally and more than 70 chapters.
It is a society, not a program office: nothing on the official pages describes AOC as a funder, a regulator or a government body. For how federal defense research money is actually structured, see the CASRAI guides on RDT&E budget categories and University Affiliated Research Centers.
Why it is called “Old Crows”
According to the history series published in AOC’s Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (read 2026-11-08), “Crows” is the informal name for electronic countermeasures officers. The association formally began in the summer of 1964 with plans for a backyard cookout in the Washington, DC, suburbs by current and former US Air Force electronic warfare officers who had served together at Strategic Air Command. The first annual meeting was held on 9 September 1964 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, with 360 attendees from the three military services, industry and universities, according to the same series. The same account says the idea of an Association of Old Crows dates to 1953, when Mel Jackson, a former EW officer, tried to start one, and that its name and crow logo carried over to the 1964 group.
Who can join: individual membership categories
The table below reproduces the individual categories and prices as described on the official membership page on 2026-11-08. Prices and eligibility change, so confirm them on the current page before joining.
| Category | Price as listed | Eligibility as listed |
|---|---|---|
| Individual, 1 year | $75 | Open category |
| Individual, 3 years | $200 | Open category |
| Individual, Lifetime | $625 | Open category |
| Active Duty | $15 | Currently serving |
| Academic | $15 | Full-time students not receiving a salary |
| Retired | $15 | Age 65 or older and fully retired |
| Young Crows | $15 | Age 25 or younger |
AOC also lists Group Membership, Partner and Affinity programs for organizations (individual memberships page, read 2026-11-08).
What membership includes
The membership page lists, for full memberships: a subscription to the Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED), free webinars, discounted events, chapter participation, courses, the Career Center, the Future 5 leadership program, scholarships and awards. The Academic and Young Crows categories receive digital JED only. The mission page adds that members get complimentary access to on-demand webinars, described as more than 100 hours of recorded content.
Events, publications and chapters
- Annual International Symposium and Convention. AOC calls it “the largest and most prestigious EW event each year” with nearly 2,500 attendees from 40+ countries (AOC’s own description). The home page listed AOC 2026 for 8-10 December in National Harbor, Maryland, as of 2026-11-08.
- Regional events. AOC Europe, AOC Asia and topical summits, including a Collaborative EW summit and a CEMA summit, are listed on the site.
- Publications. JED (jedonline.com), which AOC calls “the premier publication for the EW community”, plus the weekly eCrow and Spectrum Watch newsletters, an EW glossary of terms, podcasts and a recommended reading list.
- Chapters. More than 70 chapters provide local networking, per the mission page.
- Education and scholarships. Webinars, professional development courses, the Future 5 program and student scholarships.
Why it matters to research administrators
This section is editorial interpretation, not an AOC statement. Electronic warfare is a defense research area where university labs, contractors and government sponsors overlap, and AOC’s membership explicitly includes academia. Administrators supporting such projects will typically meet the association as a conference sponsor, a publication venue or a networking body, not as a funding source. Sponsored work in this area is governed by the sponsor’s terms and federal rules rather than by AOC membership; the NATO STO research framework guide covers one allied defense research structure.
Related organizations and terms
| Name | Relation to this page |
|---|---|
| Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (JED) | AOC’s publication, at jedonline.com |
| AOC Foundation | Listed on the AOC site under Support, with donation options |
| EMSO / CEMA | Terms AOC uses on its site (electromagnetic spectrum operations; cyber electromagnetic activity); AOC publishes an EW glossary of terms |
FAQ
What is the Association of Old Crows?
A professional non-profit association for the electromagnetic warfare and spectrum operations community, with about 12,000 members and 70+ chapters as stated on its site on 2026-11-08.
When was it founded?
AOC’s own history series dates its formal beginning to 1964, with the first annual meeting on 9 September 1964.
Who can join?
The individual categories above are listed on the official membership page, including reduced-price categories for active duty, academic (full-time students), retired (65+) and Young Crows (25 or younger).
Is AOC a government agency or a funder?
No. Its pages describe a membership association; it does not describe grant programs.
Sources
- Association of Old Crows, home page, read 2026-11-08.
- Association of Old Crows, Mission, read 2026-11-08.
- Association of Old Crows, Individual memberships, read 2026-11-08.
- Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance, AOC History: Creating the AOC, read 2026-11-08.
