Air Force Village rededicated during special ceremony

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Patrick Brown
  • Defense Media Activity - San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) --  The wife of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz helped honor Air Force Village founders and administrators during a rededication ceremony here Oct. 22.

Suzie Schwartz was the featured speaker at the ceremony, which marked 40 years of operation for this Air Force retirement home. It also highlighted the construction of new facilities, including a new front entrance, healthcare center, several new apartments and dining facilities, and an assisted-living facility scheduled for completion in mid-2011.

"Since it is the nature of the Air Force to look toward the future, we are now engaged in this major expansion and revitalization of our village," Mrs. Schwartz said. "These new venues will be among the best in the country."

Guests of honor included Texas Representative David Lebowitz, San Antonio Councilman Phillip Cortez and military leaders from the local area.

Col. Rich Houghton, 802nd Mission Support Group commander at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, said he attended the ceremony to honor the facility and its residents.

"This is a gemstone in the retired military community," he said. "The retired component that comes from the village every day onto (Lackland AFB) is amazing. I'm here to understand better how things are going down here and to know what we can do to strengthen our relationship. There are a lot of great Americans here."

Mrs. Schwartz began by speaking about the beginnings of the Air Force Village.

"We recognize the vision of the founders 40 years ago as they built a facility, and they kept a promise to military retirees and spouses," she said. "In the 1960s, just as today, the Air Force was focused on the Air Force family. It does take a family, as we just completed the Year of the Air Force Family."

Mrs. Schwartz continued to tell the story of two Air Force spouses key to the foundation of the Air Force Village: Helen LeMay, wife of former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Curtis LeMay, and Pat Ladd, an Air Force widow. She described how the two traveled and raised funds for the village through bake sales and charity balls.

"The first contribution of $9 on Mrs. Ladd's kitchen table in 1965 rapidly grew to over $1 million. Soon thereafter, land was donated in San Antonio and the rest was history," she said. "I love the idea of $9 on a kitchen table. I think things still happen the same way today."

Mrs. Schwartz lauded the work Air Force Village facilitators have done since the village's beginning.

"The village's dedication to providing a quality living environment and care centered on the individual has been an unqualified success," she said. "Today the village continues to care for widows in need. Significantly, no widow has ever been turned away.

"I am pleased and honored to represent (General Schwartz) and the spouses of the Air Force, past, present and future, to rededicate Air Force Village for continued service to the retired community for many years to come," Mrs. Schwartz said.