RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Sept. 10 marked Randolph AFB's twelfth consecutive year of welcoming forty local civilian from surrounding towns and cities with an annual "Honorary Commander" hail and farewell reception at the Parr O'Club.
The "Honorary Commander" program pairs local civilian leaders in medicine, business, law, religion and local municipal governments with Air Force leaders. This allows Air Force leaders to get a pulse on the civilian community's concerns and simultaneously helps civic leaders to gain further understanding of missions, policies, programs and people of the 12th Flying Training Wing.
Mr. J.R. Williams, a retired chief master sgt., local insurance agent and six-year veteran of the honorary commander program, said it keeps him current with the state of the Air Force today.
"It's allowed me to stay in touch," he said. "I also enjoy the camaraderie when I join in the events held by the 99th Flying Training Squadron."
At the reception, Team Randolph welcomed 15 new leaders to the program and also bid farewell to the 15 who left upon completing it.
Col. Jacqueline Van Ovost, 12th Flying Training Wing commander, congratulated new and former honorary commanders and reminded them that for almost 80 years, the relationship between Randolph and communities around the base has been a positive, mutually supportive one.
She also said the goal of the honorary commander program is to strengthen ties between both entities through mutual understanding of the military, its mission and surrounding communities.
"Community support has always been important to the Air Force, especially now with Army and Air Force support functions merging under Joint Base San Antonio," the colonel added.
During the next twelve months, Air Force leaders at Randolph will be inviting their honorary commander counterparts to attend unit functions, dinners, receptions and other events. In reciprocation, civic leaders will invite their military leader counterparts to company outings, chamber of commerce get-togethers, civic association dinners and parties and the like.
Lt. Col. Dave Cox, 99th FTS commander, is the military counterpart to Mr. Williams and another honorary commander, Marv Abrams, San Antonio chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., representative. The colonel said the program provides a critical link between the military and civilian communities. He added as a Tuskegee heritage squadron, the 99th FTS is privileged to host many Tuskegee heritage events.
"Our honorary commanders," Colonel Cox concluded, "have been an integral part of the process."