KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Nine local civic leaders were inducted into the 403rd Wing honorary commander program during a ceremony at the Bay Breeze Event Center May 5.
The honorary commander program matches civic leaders with 403rd Wing commanders to foster relationships with the local community and build a better understanding of how both the military and local community can benefit from one another.
At the end of the ceremony honorary commanders read an oath that states, “I will serve as a good ambassador for the United States Air Force and my community, and I will partner with my unit commander to create an everlasting alliance that will benefit my organization, the state of Mississippi and the United States Air Force.”
This year’s inductees include:
403rd Wing honorary commander – Elaine Wilkinson, Gulf Regional Planning Commission executive director.
403rd Wing honorary command chief – Lawanda Jones, Biloxi Chamber of Commerce diversity committee chairman.
403rd Operations Group honorary commander – Bobby Carter, Golden Nugget Casino vice president of community development.
403rd Maintenance Group honorary commander – Bill Hessell, Harrison County Development Commission executive director.
403rd Mission Support Group honorary commander – Beverly Martin, Harrison County Board of Supervisors District One supervisor and board president.
403rd Aeromedical Staging Squadron honorary commander – Charles Holman, Biloxi Bay Urology urologist.
815th Airlift Squadron honorary commander – Clark Levi, owner of Plight Pharma and several other local businesses.
803rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron honorary commander – Mark Smith, plant manager for the Chemours Company.
403rd Logistics Readiness Squadron honorary commander – Trevor Matifes, Biloxi Shuckers director of stadium operations.
The 403rd Wing is an Air Force Reserve unit. The wing’s mission to train, equip and employ airlift forces in support of the nation’s interests. This includes the only weather reconnaissance mission in the Department of Defense in addition to tactical airlift and airdrop, aeromedical evacuation and agile combat support