Cindy Wendle: Fairchild AFB’s ‘Global Reach’ more than a motto
By Cindy Wendle
Global Reach.
Immediately upon entering Fairchild Air Force Base, this phrase appeared in big bold letters, and it stayed with me as I spent the morning meeting airmen and women, learning about equipment and understanding the mission of the base. Having global reach is something Fairchild Air Force Base and the United Soccer League (USL) have in common. We bridge cultures, communities, people and places. Our bridges span divides and connect communities, one to achieve global peace, the other to grow the love of the global game.
I was invited, along with twenty-three other community members, for an introductory orientation flight on a KC-135 Stratotanker. We were a diverse group of business owners and community leaders from across the Inland Northwest, all eager to learn more about the impact our local base has in our region. The opportunity to meet and learn from some of the best and brightest stationed at Fairchild was an incredible experience. Stories of the people they have met around the world was just as inspiring as watching their seamless ability to work in sync and as a team. After asking a few airmen about their favorite experiences serving in the Air Force, the most popular answer was interacting with people from around the world.
To prepare for our flight, we gathered first to hear from Col. Jeffrey Marshall, the vice wing commander, about the different divisions on base. He gave us details about the aircraft and why the KC-135 is so critical to national defense and all branches of the military. The air refueler is an incredible machine, absolutely huge and yet utilitarian in its look and purpose. Its main role of refueling isn’t overly complicated, yet fulfilling this role is dependent on intricate actions from airmen and women under stressful conditions. Flying at nearly 25,000 feet in the air at about 370 miles per hour, it comes within thirty feet of the receiving aircraft. That’s close enough to look in the other pilot’s eyes and see their facial expressions. It was unbelievable thinking how much control, calm and confidence it takes to grasp that handle and successfully accomplish the mission.
The refuelers are tasked with refueling not just our aircraft, but the aircraft of other countries, as well as missions with global impact. To serve the world, the team is uniquely positioned to be the leading voice and action arm in advancing the KC-135 mission and platform across all operations, maintenance, support and medical functions. The aircraft and service members who support these multiple missions are called upon from around the world, and my observation was not only are they passionate about having that opportunity, they are expertly trained and prepared. The impact the team out at Fairchild Air Force Base has on the world is empowering. They bring these experiences back to and enrich our community through stories and a focus on the importance of diversity and inclusion.
It was inspiring, and in a way comforting, to watch the airmen and women interact with each other. There is a tremendous amount of respect and care combined to create an atmosphere of teamwork and connectedness. So many are here without extended family, therefore family is created on base and in the community. We learned that with over 10,000 people entering Fairchild each day, most of our airmen and women live off base among the rest of us in the Greater Spokane region.
As they work to protect us, it is our duty to provide whatever support we can to help them be successful. Their goal is to be ready to meet any challenge. Our goal should be to find ways to develop and care for our airmen and women and their families. The commander of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, Col. Cassius Bentley, is steadfast in his commitment to his troops and he shared how senior leaders at Fairchild are unwavering in building and enhancing programs for airmen and women and their families.
In my role as president of USL Spokane, I look forward to supporting this mission, and sharing with our community how we can be a part of the efforts. I, in partnership with USL, am working to bring the world’s game to Spokane and to share Spokane with the world. The missions of FAFB and USL Spokane are similar, and I believe that is why seeing “Global Reach” on base stirred something in me. The team at FAFB is not only serving a mission for our U.S. military, but they are also part of a global mission, and as they learn about the people and places around the globe, our community is better because of it. It’s exciting to think how soccer and the base can help each other, and it’s even more exciting to think how our Spokane community can better help the amazingly talented Fame’s Favored Few at Fairchild Air Force Base.