It's a pleasure to welcome you to the ARPA/AFML Review of Progress in Quantitative NDE. I'm Don Thompson, Director of the Structural Materials Department at the Rockwell International Science Center, and have had the privilege of serving as the Program Manager for the Program in Quantitative NDE which is under discussion for the next three days here. I'd like to introduce Prof. Herbert H. Johnson, Director of the Materials Science Center at Cornell University. and our host for the next three days. Herb, I'm sure that Dr. Peter Cannon, Vice President of the Science Center, Mrs. Diane Harris, who has served as our conference coordinator, myself, and a 11 my colleagues join to thank you and your staff-- Mr. Noel Desch, Mrs. Sharon Wells, Ms . Kris Molt, and many others--for all the cooperation you have given us. Special mention should also be given to Prof. J. A. Krumhansl for taking the initiative in suggesting that this meeting be held at Cornell. We appreciate the many courtesies and hospitality that you at Cornell have shown us.