CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
This week we celebrated Veteran's Day, honoring the achievements and sacrifices of all veterans.
During our celebration of Veteran's Day with the Charleston community, I was very impressed with the work of Senior Master Sgt. Walter "Walt" Bonner, who was our overall leader for the Nov. 8 parade. It was a resounding success and embodied the words of President John Kennedy who said, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
Last week, we also said goodbye to our Vice Commander Col. Don Shaffer and his wife Debbie as they departed to take command of the 319th Air Refueling Wing at Grand Forks AFB, N.D. They will be greatly missed. As the proverb goes, "Every end is a new beginning!"
Team Charleston welcomes back Col. "Smokey" Robinson and his wife Maureen from the Pentagon as they assume the role of 437th Airlift Wing vice commander. They are long time friends to the Charleston community, and we are very lucky to have their experience and capabilities here!
We also welcomed the 628th Air Base Wing Advance Team, led by Col. Martha Meeker. Colonel Meeker's recent assignment was at the Pentagon, and she brings a great leadership vision which will help ensure we are ready for Joint Basing Jan. 8.
We owe a special thank you to the 437th Force Support Squadron and Ms. Laura Abel and Ms. Beverly McElroy for their efforts supporting the Tops in Blue performance. We had a huge turnout for the event at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center, and it was a great night for our Airmen and the community. We were even fortunate to see one of our very own, Staff Sgt. Timothy Womble, perform!
As always, I thank you for your service and hope your Veteran's Day was enjoyable. Your service to our nation is important, and I ask each of you to be safe and look out for each other.