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Members of the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base military affairs committee take photos on the flightline during a Civic Leader Tour June 20, 2019, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The 345th Fighter Wing houses F-16 Fighting Falcons to provide our nation with combat-ready forces capable of reaching anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere at a moment’s notice. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Miranda A. Loera)

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Col. Ben Bishop, 354th FW commander, briefs members of the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base military affairs committee June 20, 2019, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The 354th Fighter Wing is the host unit at Eielson AFB assigned to the 11th Air Force and is located near Fairbanks. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Miranda A. Loera)

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Bryce Ward, mayor of Fairbanks North Star Borough, speaks to the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base military affairs committee during a Civic Leader Tour June 21, 2019, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. During the tour, members of Seymour Johnson’s MAC were able to meet Eielson’s MAC, local and base leadership, and learn more about the 354th Fighter Wing’s mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Miranda A. Loera)

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Members of both the Eielson and Seymour Johnson military affairs committees hold a roundtable talk during a Civic Leader Tour June 21, 2019, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The members discussed topics ranging from encroachment and Federal Aviation Administration relationships to reviewing current Air Force operations and ways to future proof Seymour Johnson’s Razor Talon. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Miranda A. Loera)

4 FW and MAC members visit Alaska in Civic Leader Tour

Published June 28, 2019
By 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Members of Team Seymour and the Military Affairs Committee visited Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, for a Civic Leader Tour, June 20 to 22.

CLT’s are designed to bring leaders together to cross-reference their missions. The 4th Fighter Wing and the 354th Fighter Wing leaders shared experiences with local leaders to enhance their understanding of the Air Force’s mission, global reach and more.

Jeremiah Daniels, Seymour Johnson MAC chairman, was one of the 27 members to attend the tour.

“For us MAC members, this was a beneficial trip because it allowed us to get a bigger picture of the Air Force and better understanding of the mission,” said Daniels. “We know the mission at Seymour, but seeing another base, a totally different operation in a whole different region of the world, allows us to see the bigger picture of the Air Force and its global mission.”

The members received a mission brief from the 354th FW and also information on Exercise Red Flag-Alaska from Col. Ben Bishop, 354th FW commander. The missions between the 4th FW and the 354th FW are very similar but have some differences. A major part of training in Eielson comes from Red Flag training exercises. Red Flag is a 10-day exercise that corresponds to the operational capability of participating units. Informative briefings and slide show presentations ensure MAC members maintain exercise proficiency.

During the tour, members of the Seymour Johnson MAC were able to meet their Alaska counterparts and discuss topics ranging from encroachment and Federal Aviation Administration relationships to reviewing current Air Force operations and ways to future proof Seymour Johnson’s Razor Talon, the Air Force’s premiere East Coast exercise.

Col. Donn Yates, 4th Fighter Wing commander, emphasized how cohesion between the communities and bases correlate to the installation’s mission success.

“With events like these, we’re able to better share our Air Force mission with our civilian counterparts, and that’s huge,” said Yates. “It gives the public a better understanding of why we do what we do, and just how important all of this truly is. Because of that, they learn how they can support our mission, which enables us to continue delivering airpower for our nation, which is really what this is all about.”