Community and GAFB agree to three partnership initiative

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jennifer Redente
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
SAN ANGELO, Texas --  San Angelo and Goodfellow leaders met June 12 at Angelo State University's Houston Harte Center to discuss the completion of three agreements relating to the Air Force Community Partnership Initiative.

More than 40 representatives from across the community including elected officials, the Chamber of Commerce and San Angelo Independent School District observed as two memorandums of understanding and one certificate promising to sign the third were signed by all organizations involved.

Each group within the wing was involved with an agreement partnering with the community as a starting point as other initiatives continue to be researched.

Capt. James J. Nelson, 17th Security Forces Squadron Commander, represented the 17th Mission Support Group and signed the first agreement with Tom Green County Sheriff David Jones and Tom Green County Judge Stephen C. Floyd expanding the availability of Goodfellow's firing range.

Through the agreement, Tom Green County's Sheriff Office along with additional law enforcement entities, including San Angelo Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection here, will begin shared training with the 17th SFS Combat Arms Section.

The agreements allow law enforcement agencies to have the opportunity to develop relationships and better understand how each operates.

"The Memorandum of Understanding between the 17th SFS and Tom Green County Sheriff's Office solved both a weapons qualification and training venue need of the sheriff's office," said Master Sgt. James D. Eselgroth, 17th SFS Logistics and Resources superintendent. Through MOUs such as these, we are able to strengthen interagency ties, which pay big dividends down the road. Before a real-world scenario takes place, it's important to get to know each other before 'bullets' start flying, and these MOUs lay the foundation."

Dianna M. Spieker, Tom Green County treasurer and National Incident Management System county point of contact, assisted in the coordination of the paperwork for the law enforcement organizations as well as the MOU between the 17th Training Group, 17th Civil Engineer Squadron and Tom Green County.

The Training Group's MOU is an agreement between parties allowing Tom Green County officials to participate in training and utilize facilities on Goodfellow Air Force Base involving emergency management training and exercise opportunities to establish a common operating picture.

Sgt. Levi Vance, Tom Green County jailer, is the first participant from Tom Green County to participate in the NIMS training at the Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy on Goodfellow.

Due to the unavailability of the 17th Medical Group's commander, a certificate was signed between Lt. Col. Krissa J. Crawford, 17th Medical Support Squadron Commander, and America Farrell, San Angelo Community Medical Center interim CEO, assuring validity of the future partnership MOU to facilitate cooperative training including in-place patient decontamination and medical control center teams.

"It's important for the community and base to share information and best practices on how to better take care of the citizens in our community in a wide-variety of situations," said Farrell.

Federal authorities are allowing such partnerships to take place through the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act to support the Air Force Community Partnership Initiative permitting installations to enter into intergovernmental support agreements with local governments.

There are 11 other initiatives in discussion between the community here and GAFB, and the relationship between the two is considered the "poster child" for the Air Force initiatives discussed in the National Capital Region.

"I have not seen this partnership program run more smoothly or effectively anywhere else in the Air Force. I now know what "right" is," said Stan Scott, Program Manager, Air Force Community Partnership Program program manager.

Goodfellow Air Force Base is among 30 installations across the Air Force working with surrounding communities to explore cost-saving opportunities. Many partnerships have developed through the initiative. For success stories, visit the All Partners Access network at www.airforcepartnerships.org.