HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – Community leaders from across the U.S. participating in the Air and Space Force Civic Leader Program visited Hill Nov. 4-5 to see firsthand the missions supported by the Airmen and Guardians here.
The stopover at Hill Air Force Base was the culmination of a visit to three installations that 36 of the program’s civic leaders made this week with Lt. Gen. Carl Schaefer, Air Force Materiel Command deputy commander, to gain a better understanding of AFMC and the Air Force.
“Air Force Materiel Command is critical to the United States Air Force, and this visit provided them an opportunity see the importance of what we do for our nation,” Schaefer said. “The strong relationships we have with our civic leaders plays a vital role in the success of the Air Force, because they are in a position to explain to those in their communities and outside of the military how we support the national strategy.”
The program is made up of unpaid advisors, key communicators and advocates for Air Force issues. They provide ideas and feedback to the Air Force Secretary, Air Force Chief of Staff, and Chief of Space Operations and other senior leaders on key issues, including public attitudes about air and space force activities.
During their visit to Hill, the group toured facilities and met with leaders from the 75th Air Base Wing, Ogden Air Logistics Complex, 388th Fighter Wing, Reserve 419th Fighter Wing, 748th Supply Chain Management Group, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center and Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Systems and Minuteman III Systems Directorates.
“This command executes its wartime mission each and every day,” Schaefer said. “From our maintainers in the depots, to the men and women supporting the nuclear enterprise and sustaining weapons systems, to our software centers, and those on the flight line, to the air base support we give our mission partners, the warfighter counts on us do our mission so they can execute theirs.”
The group also had an opportunity to meet with local civic leaders and the leadership of the Utah Defense Alliance, a committee interested in strengthening the military and its national defense objectives and expanding employment opportunities in defense and aerospace related industries for the state.
“As the second largest Air Force base by population and the largest single site employer in the state, it was important for the civic leaders to see how our Airmen and Guardians deliver exceptional support to the warfighter,” said Col. Jenise Carroll, 75th Air Base Wing commander. “It was a great opportunity to show them how the many operational and support missions at Hill Air Force Base are employing combat capability and enhancing readiness for our nation.”