Kirtland inducts 54 honorary commanders

  • Published
  • By Argen Duncan
  • Nucleus editor
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Kirtland Air Force Base leaders inducted 54 honorary commanders, by far the largest group in recent years, during a dinner and ceremony Jan. 29 at Mountain View Club.

The event also kicked off the base's 75th anniversary celebration.

"This is a really special year for us here at Kirtland," said 377th Air Base Wing Commander Col. Eric Froehlich. "Seventy-five years is worth celebrating."

Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry, honorary vice commander of the 58th Special Operations Wing, read a proclamation naming the day "75th anniversary of Kirtland Air
Force Base Day."

"I have a roof over my head because of Kirtland Air Force Base, and we're safer, as a nation and as a community, because of Kirtland Air Force Base," Berry said.

Bernalillo County Commissioners Wayne Johnson and Maggie Hart-Stebbins also presented proclamations, as well as being inducted as honorary commanders in the 377th Mission Support Group and Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, respectively.

"I'm very proud to be a part of what you do here and to have you as part of the community," Johnson said.

The Air Force-wide honorary commanders program allows community and business leaders to learn about their host unit and the military as they become honorary commanders and attend unit events. In return, those local leaders invite the Air Force commanders to functions in the community.

The program aims to strengthen the partnership between installations and the communities that support them, and help the community understand and thus help execute the base's mission, Froehlich said.

This year, he expanded the program. Previously, only commanders of wings and groups, the largest and second-largest Air Force units, and of centers on base took on honorary commanders.

However, Froehlich said he spoke with Kirtland mission partners and they wanted to include squadrons in the program so first-time commanders could experience it.

"With the honorary commanders program, the community really gets a lot out of the relationship, but the commanders get just as much because we form friendships," he said.

Friday, honorary commanders took part in a traditional assumption of command ceremony. Master of Ceremonies Albert Frisbey said the ceremony runs deep in military history, dating back to the 1700s.

"It represents the honor, responsibility and pride of leading," he said.

Froehlich said it's the highlight of a commander's career.

"It is really special for us to share this ceremony with you," he told honorary commanders.

Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull is Froehlich's honorary commander.

"I've got a little bit to learn, but it's a great honor, obviously, to be selected," he said.

Hull said he'd met Froehlich a few times before being invited to become an honorary  commander and he wanted Rio Rancho to develop a stronger relationship with Kirtland.

Froehlich said he invited Hull to join the honorary commanders program because he thought it was important to foster a relationship with Rio Rancho, a large community
near Albuquerque, and help it understand Kirtland's important impact on national security.

Also, the dinner Friday recognized the 377th Air Base Wing, celebrating its 50th anniversary; Air Force Inspection Agency, celebrating its 45th anniversary; 58th Special Operations Wing, marking 40 years at Kirtland and 25 years in special operations training; Air Force Safety Center, reaching its 20th anniversary; and
Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, celebrating 10 years in operation.