RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
When local organizations want to request a member of the Air Force to speak at an event, they go through the speaker's bureau, a function of public affairs, to make arrangements.
Susan Gandy, 502nd Air Base Wing OL-B Public Affairs Civic Outreach coordinator, said "the speaker's bureau is a good way to maintain good community relations," she said. "It's a good way to get our Airmen and our people invited into the community; it's an opportunity to tell the Air Force story. "
"When we send an Airman out to the community it can be a great recruiting tool," she said. "These folks talk about their careers. It's a way to plant seeds about what Air Force jobs are available."
The majority of the speaker's bureau requests come from schools where students may want to know what a potential Air Force career may hold and from reunion groups where the attendees may want to know about what has changed since their days.
"We get requests from organizations like the Kiwanis, Rotary and other civic organizations," Ms. Gandy said. "We bring our commanders to chambers of commerce meetings. Civic leaders are very loyal to our leaders and military."
She said public affairs has a list of speakers with specific interests or career fields and with enough notice, can usually find a speaker for a requested event. In addition, the public affairs civic outreach office keeps a record of who spoke where and other statistics.
"Many of the organizations ask for specific speakers, or ones with specific areas of expertise," she said. "They speak at school functions, career days and various business organizations around the city."
Typically a representative from an organization requesting a speaker contacts public affairs civic outreach.
In addition to the speaker's bureau, civic outreach has a judge's program where Air Force personnel can volunteer as judges for school and community contests and functions.
"Our people volunteer to judge science fairs and academic competitions," Ms. Gandy said.
Public affairs welcomes people from the community to visit Randolph to see what the Air Force does and to get a closer look at the aircraft, people and facilities. This is done through the tour escort program where base personnel volunteer to work as tour guides.
Tour groups are as diverse as the people on base and can be civic leaders from all over the country, church groups, school groups, junior ROTC and Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. ESGR is a program to show civilian employers of guard and reserve Airmen what their people do as well as other support.
Public affairs provides tour escort training and the chance to ride along tours until escorts feel ready to do it alone.
Tours are tailored to the needs and interests of the group and briefers are provided at the various stops and tour locations.
For more information about base tours, speaker's bureau or judge's program, call the 502nd ABW OL-B public affairs civic outreach office at 652-4407.