HCC program strengthens base, community partnership Published Feb. 12, 2016 By Staff Sgt. Laura LV Claypool 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Eleven civic leaders from the Sumter, South Carolina community joined the ranks of honorary commanders alongside 20th Fighter Wing squadron and group commanders during an induction ceremony Feb. 4, here. The honorary commander program gives community leaders the opportunity to participate in special events, programs and activities that involve their honorary squadron. The program, which the Air Force formalized in 2008, is designed to benefit the military and its civilian neighbors by sharing ideas and learning from each other. Community leaders gain the opportunity to engage with 20th Fighter Wing commanders and to learn about the Air Force. In return, commanders are able to connect with what their counterparts do in the community. This builds the fabric of partnership, that inter-woven relationship between the base and the community, said Col. Stephen Jost, 20th FW commander. The Air Force's policy establishing the program says the intent of an honorary commanders program is, "to educate and increase the knowledge and understanding of key civic leaders about the Air Force and the installation." Honorary commanders are ideally matched with squadrons that have similar missions, backgrounds, occupations and skill sets. "Without this program, our civilian neighbors only get to look at us from a distance and through the fence," said Rob Sexton, 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs community relations manager. "This is the only way civic leaders can come inside and invest time among us, as much time as they want to, with a unit commander and his or her Airmen. There's nothing else like it." The attendees of the Feb. 4 change of command joined 15 other honorary commanders, who are already half way through their two-year tenure. Current 20th Fighter Wing honorary commanders and their assigned command: Sen. Thomas McElveen, 20th Fighter Wing commander Dr. Tim Hardee, 20th Fighter Wing vice commander Dr. Michael Sonntag, 20th Fighter Wing command chief Melissa White, 20th Comptroller Squadron Scott Will, 20th Operations Group deputy Debbie Nix, 20th Operations Group Dr. Frank Baker, 20th Operations Support Squadron Ken Reese, 55th Fighter Squadron Dr. Clay Lowder, 77th Fighter Squadron David Merchant, 79th Fighter Squadron Tom Tompkins, 20th Maintenance Group Fred Moulton, 20th Maintenance Group deputy Bill Buxton, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Chris Hardy, 20th Component Maintenance Squadron Lynn Kennedy, 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron Dr. Michael Mikota, 20th Mission Support Group Lorraine Washington-Dennis, 20th Civil Engineering Squadron Hampton Gardner, 20th Security Forces Squadron Jack Swart, 20th Communication Squadron Katie Swayne, 20th Force Support Squadron Christie Richardson, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron Nicole Milligan, 20th Contracting Squadron Michelle Logan Owens, 20th Medical Group Les Thompson, 20th Medical Operations Squadron Jerome Robinson, 20th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Melissa Linville, 20th Medical Support Squadron David Nether, 20th Dental Squadron
HCC program strengthens base, community partnership Published Feb. 12, 2016 By Staff Sgt. Laura LV Claypool 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Eleven civic leaders from the Sumter, South Carolina community joined the ranks of honorary commanders alongside 20th Fighter Wing squadron and group commanders during an induction ceremony Feb. 4, here. The honorary commander program gives community leaders the opportunity to participate in special events, programs and activities that involve their honorary squadron. The program, which the Air Force formalized in 2008, is designed to benefit the military and its civilian neighbors by sharing ideas and learning from each other. Community leaders gain the opportunity to engage with 20th Fighter Wing commanders and to learn about the Air Force. In return, commanders are able to connect with what their counterparts do in the community. This builds the fabric of partnership, that inter-woven relationship between the base and the community, said Col. Stephen Jost, 20th FW commander. The Air Force's policy establishing the program says the intent of an honorary commanders program is, "to educate and increase the knowledge and understanding of key civic leaders about the Air Force and the installation." Honorary commanders are ideally matched with squadrons that have similar missions, backgrounds, occupations and skill sets. "Without this program, our civilian neighbors only get to look at us from a distance and through the fence," said Rob Sexton, 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs community relations manager. "This is the only way civic leaders can come inside and invest time among us, as much time as they want to, with a unit commander and his or her Airmen. There's nothing else like it." The attendees of the Feb. 4 change of command joined 15 other honorary commanders, who are already half way through their two-year tenure. Current 20th Fighter Wing honorary commanders and their assigned command: Sen. Thomas McElveen, 20th Fighter Wing commander Dr. Tim Hardee, 20th Fighter Wing vice commander Dr. Michael Sonntag, 20th Fighter Wing command chief Melissa White, 20th Comptroller Squadron Scott Will, 20th Operations Group deputy Debbie Nix, 20th Operations Group Dr. Frank Baker, 20th Operations Support Squadron Ken Reese, 55th Fighter Squadron Dr. Clay Lowder, 77th Fighter Squadron David Merchant, 79th Fighter Squadron Tom Tompkins, 20th Maintenance Group Fred Moulton, 20th Maintenance Group deputy Bill Buxton, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Chris Hardy, 20th Component Maintenance Squadron Lynn Kennedy, 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron Dr. Michael Mikota, 20th Mission Support Group Lorraine Washington-Dennis, 20th Civil Engineering Squadron Hampton Gardner, 20th Security Forces Squadron Jack Swart, 20th Communication Squadron Katie Swayne, 20th Force Support Squadron Christie Richardson, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron Nicole Milligan, 20th Contracting Squadron Michelle Logan Owens, 20th Medical Group Les Thompson, 20th Medical Operations Squadron Jerome Robinson, 20th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Melissa Linville, 20th Medical Support Squadron David Nether, 20th Dental Squadron