LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- The 19th Airlift Wing hosted an honorary commander induction ceremony at Hangar 1080 on Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, Jan. 31, 2019, welcoming three new civic leaders into the Team Little Rock family.
Base leadership inducted Courtney Dunn, 19th Mission Support Group honorary commander, Shash Goyal, 314th Maintenance Group honorary commander, and Cindy Doramus, 913th Operations Support Squadron honorary commander, into their new roles as ambassadors of Little Rock AFB.
“The Honorary Commander program allows us to climb high and develop strong relationships with not only the commanders, command chiefs and superintendents, but the Airmen who serve alongside them,” said Denise Goforth, 314th AW honorary commander. “Becoming an honorary commander means you are becoming a part of the Team Little Rock family.”
Honorary commanders are civilians who partner with commanders on base to foster a stronger, lasting relationship between Little Rock AFB and the surrounding community by exchanging ideas and practices with each other.
“As civilian leaders we’ve been able to encourage such endeavors as the interstate compact and military retirements no longer being taxed,” Goforth said. “We come from a cross-section of the community where we can utilize our various spheres of influence to zoom in and meet the needs of our military partners.”
Being a part of the Little Rock AFB family comes in many forms, from being invited to events on base to volunteering with Airmen outside the gates. One of the main methods is by informing the surrounding community of the role it plays in their lives and the mission, policies and programs of the base. As combat airlift advocates, honorary commanders help drive a discussion about areas of shared interest or concern.
“For our three new honorary commanders, we hope that this is a bright new chapter in not only your life, but more importantly your family’s lives as well,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Gerald Donohue, 19th AW commander. “Being a part of this relationship really helps fuel and reenergize us. I look forward to getting to know you, and congratulations.”