Largest AFGSC Welcome Center opens with ribbon-cutting ceremony

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kiana Pearson
  • 377 Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Team Kirtland held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commence the opening of the Welcome Center facility on Jan. 4, 2021, at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Kirtland Airmen and their families can in-process in one central location as opposed to visiting various offices across the installation.

“This program is a one-stop-shop for onboarding military members and their families where they can knock out all the appointments they need,” said Master Sgt. Guadalupe Gil, Welcome Center manager. “Members will be welcomed upon arrival and cycled throughout various sections based on their needs.”

This concept streamlines in-processing by providing services from representatives from all required base-level agencies such as finance, medical, housing, pass and ID, military personnel flight and TMO.

Newly arriving Airmen will be scheduled by their unit’s designated commander’s support staff and provided with the required information and check-lists based on their individual needs.

Gil encourages supervisors and sponsors to be involved with incoming Airmen.

Additionally, the Welcome Center is located in the Consolidated Support building, in the same area as other helping agencies that provide more services to Airmen.

“Our Welcome Center is the largest within Global Strike [Command] and is reflective of Kirtland’s size and breadth of national security,” said Col. David S. Miller, 377th Air Base Wing commander. “This program is the heartbeat of onboarding to be a Tiger.”

The Welcome Center is a vital part of the overall “Striker Culture” initiative, spearheaded by General Timothy M. Ray, Air Force Global Strike Command commander.

“Leading and taking care of Airmen is a significant portion of Striker Culture,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col Kimberly McCoy-Singh, 377th Air Base Wing Commander’s Action Group director. “How we receive Airmen plays a huge part in their retainability.”

Airmen on-boarding falls under the community lines of effort as outlined in the Striker Culture initiative.

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was able to launch within three months.

For more information, contact 846-4484 or email 377FSS.FSP.KAFBWelcomeCenter@us.af.mil.