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Grand Forks Air Force Base inducts seven new honorary commanders

  • Published
  • By Tim Flack
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Grand Forks Air Force Base officials inducted seven new honorary commanders into their program during a Feb. 8 ceremony at the base's Northern Lights Club.

Col. Tim Bush, commander of the 319th Air Base Wing, welcomed the new honorary commanders, telling them that they would help "foster even stronger ties" between the military and off-base communities.

Honorary commanders - civilian leaders from the greater Grand Forks area who were selected through close coordination with the military affairs committee - work hand-in-hand with their Air Force counterparts from the base.

The relationship allows the commanders, both military and civilian, the opportunity to learn more about each other. The Air Force gets to highlight its mission and local leaders can show off the communities that they take so much pride in being a part of.

"It's so that we become one community," Bush said. "I'm thankful that you all have decided to develop the relationship between this base and our Greater Grand Forks communities by giving some of your free time. It is a precious gift because it truly is the one thing you can never get back."

The seven new inductees join 12 other civilian commanders who were already involved in the program. Bush explained that he wanted to ramp up the existing program, especially since there were new units with the Global Hawk mission that didn't have honorary commanders.

Bush's own honorary commander, Phil Harmeson, took the stage to honor a former honorary commander who passed away earlier this year.

Dr. Ben Clayburgh had served as an honorary commander for years, and had been a "huge proponent of Grand Forks Air Force Base," who was known to always have a positive and helping attitude toward the men and women of the base, according to Harmeson. He asked attendees to stand for a moment of silence in honor of Clayburgh.

Stacey Heggen, who was inducted Friday, met her commander, Maj. Sarah McElhenny, late last year, and attended the 319th Contracting Flight's annual holiday celebration.
Heggen joked that she was embarrassed to learn that everyone in the Air Force doesn't fly for a living.

"Many of them do everyday jobs, they just wear a uniform and also dedicate their lives to make ours safer and more comfortable," Heggen said. "I have utmost respect for the men and women who serve our country, and have so enjoyed getting to know the ones at Grand Forks Air Force Base, as well as their families. Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly - a great community, indeed!"

She said her position as the executive director of the Greater Grand Forks Young Professional organization will allow her to strengthen the ties between the base and a group of more than 250 young professionals.

"I can also carry out our mission and purpose with the Airmen in order to assure that their time here is as enjoyable as possible," Heggen said. "Everyone has something to contribute, and I think both communities have a lot of untapped resources."

Also inducted Friday were Patrick Dame, Mike Moore, Craig Amiot, Lowell Schweigert, Chris Semrau and Cheryl Swanson.