Seymour Johnson Air Force Base leaders highlight close ties to community
By Steve Herring
Published in News on September 29, 2016 9:57 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
4th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Christopher Sage makes a presentation during the State of the Military program at the Goldsboro Event Center on Wednesday. Other speakers included Military Affairs Committee Chairman Dr. Scott LaFevers and 916th Air Refueling Wing Commander Col. Eric Jenkins.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Commander of the 916th Air Refueling Wing Col. Eric Jenkins makes a joke at the beginning of his presentation. Jenkins spoke on several changes happening within the wing.
For the nearly 100 people who gathered Wednesday morning to hear about the state of the military, in particular that of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, the message was clear -- a key component to the base's strength is its close ties with the community.
The significance of those close ties permeated the comments of the three speakers during the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce's Sate of the Military program at the Goldsboro Event Center.
The speakers were Col. Christopher Sage, 4th Fighter Wing commander, Col. Eric Jenkins, 916th Air Refueling Wing commander, and Dr. Scott LaFevers, chairman of the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee.
After commenting about the base's mission Sage said that for him the "fun part" is the current initiatives.
"I'd like to start by saying this is the exciting part of the job for me," Sage said. "This is where it shows the relationship that we have every day with the local community, with our partners downtown. I tell you what, it is so exciting to see what is happening downtown.
"It is exciting to open our gates and show our local community what is happening on base. If there is one thing that I would like to emphasize, even though we have had to struggle with the loss of our airman recently -- the message that we are sending down from the base is that Seymour Johnson, Goldsboro, Wayne County is a great community to live in."
Airmen have the option to live on base or in the community, and there are some "great opportunities" to live downtown and in the community, he said.
"We are working closely with the local officials to make it safe both on base and off," Sage said.
Sage also praised what he called "great initiatives" in education in the community.
"Our goal is to be a part of that," he said. "That is one thing that I would like to emphasize from my perspective this is truly a two-way street. This is not how can the local community help us. This is how can we help the local community."
Sage said that Wayne Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Dunsmore knows that he has his (Sage's) full support.
"We have a lot of teachers," Sage said. "We have a lot of teachers that come in, spouses that are no longer teaching from their last assignment that are accredited and ready to teach. They just need to be fast tracked into the system and need the ability to be able to teach while they get their state accreditation.
"We are working hard, and I know you are with the legislature and local officials to make that happen."
Sage said work is under way to reopen the gates on a regularly basis for "old-fashioned field trips" for local students. That would give the students a better of idea of what goes on at the base, while possibly encouraging some students to consider a career in the military, he said.
The base is also getting some improvements including a new $50 million clinic that will replace the current 60-year old facility. It will open in the spring.
"We are going to get a new tower," Sage said. That (existing) tower is approximately 40 to 50 years old. This is going to be the state-of-the-art tower that will basically keep Seymour Johnson on the map for time to come."
The Wings Over Wayne Air Show on May 20 and 22, 2017, will feature the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels and will coincide with the 75th anniversary celebration of the 4th Fighter Wing, he said.
Work also is progressing on the multi-sports complex in conjunction with Goldsboro, he said.
"The bottom line is the 4th Fighter Wing, we are busy," Sage said. "We did a lot over the past year. We are doing a lot now. We have a lot going on in the future. We are very excited to partner with each and every one of you -- to partner with the 916th, to partner with the Military Affairs Committee as well as with the Chamber of Commerce. We appreciate all of the support.
"We can't do it without you. The reason that we can't do it without you is because we are a part of you. Eighty percent of our people live outside the gate, and it is truly a two-way street."
Jenkins said that one of the area's strengths is the little things that people do locally, like people in a store asking if they can help. That makes a difference, Jenkins said.
Jenkins spoke about plans for the stationing of the new KC-46 tankers on the base as well as the creation of an integrated wing that would include an active duty component under what is a Reserve Wing.
It will be the first such, but not the last in the Air Force, he said.
The Wing gained 138 people when Pope Air Force Base closed, he said. The Wing has a local economic impact of $109 million, which does not include what folks spend downtown, he said.
The base is waiting on an environmental impact statement for staging the KC-46s and Jenkins encouraged those in the audience to attend a Dec. 15 public hearing on the issue from 5 to 8 p.m. at Herman Park Center.
Jenkins said he expects the base will get 50 of the aircraft, but that the "regulatory stuff" has to be handled first.
LaFevers said the MAC has led the effort and worked with local officials and state and national officials to ensure the community is a "superior" host for the base, he said.
"Our mission is to maintain and improve the community's relationship with Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, to learn about the operations and needs of the base and to advocate for policies, procedures and infrastructure and environment that promote the importance of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base to the United States Department of Defense and to ensure the long-term viability of Seymour Johnson," LaFevers said.