Community leaders share information, ideas with AFMC commander

  • Published
  • Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs Report
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Eighteen civic leaders from across Air Force Materiel Command met with the commander Oct. 28, for a discussion of challenges that lie ahead in five significant categories tied to the AFMC mission.

The civic leaders are members of the command's Community Liaison Program, a group of 40 people representing each of 10 communities where AFMC has installations or a major organization.

The CLP meets twice annually to hear updates on AFMC and Air Force issues, to share information with Gen. Donald Hoffman, the AFMC commander, and to brainstorm ideas of mutual benefit.

The five categories of the AFMC mission in which the group seeks to participate are acquisition reform and community support, education and workforce development, telling the AFMC story, recapitalization, and energy use and conservation.

General Hoffman spoke about the constraints on Defense Department resources that will come into play over the next two years.

"I see them as opportunities," he said. "Resources will always be limited, but when things are especially tight, motivation gives us the opportunity to change things that may have been too difficult in the past."

He shared with the group Secretary of Defense Robert Gates' outlook for the future: "We are taking a hard, unsparing look at how DOD is staffed, organized, and operated."

The CLP serves to maintain strong ties between the Air Force and its neighboring communities. The group's chairperson, Mary Therese Tebbe of Warner Robins, Ga., emphasized the CLP's commitment to working closely with the command.

"We're very proud of what our Air Force does," she said. "You've got an incredible story to tell, and we want to help you tell it."

In addition to meeting with General Hoffman, the CLP members had a discussion about energy use and conservation with Paul Parker, the director of AFMC communications, installations and mission support.  Of particular interest was the subject of how local utilities can share costs for electric power generation and consumption with the Air Force.

The energy theme carried over to a tour of several sites at the Air Force Research Laboratory where CLP members received hands-on education about some of the latest Air Force technologies, including some involving energy use.

The group's visit to Wright-Patterson AFB also took on a historical flavor as members attended a reception at Hawthorne Hill, the Dayton, Ohio, home of the Wright brothers. Amanda Wright Lane, the great grand-niece of the Wright brothers, is the newest member of the CLP and hosted the group at the Wright home.

CLP members will return to Wright-Patterson in the spring for their next meeting in conjunction with the command's semi-annual Senior Leaders Conference and the annual AFMC Outstanding Airmen awards banquet.