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Local community makes Pope 'sought after place to work and live'

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kris Levasseur
  • 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  For an Air Force member, PCSing means many things; working in a different office, finding a new place to live and adjusting to a new community. No matter where you are based in the Air Force, community support is a must.

Luckily for Airmen here at Pope, the local community goes above and beyond in supporting the base through the Pope Special Activities Committee.

The original group, formed in 1974 by a group of Fayetteville local businessmen, sought ways to assist the commander and Airmen at Pope. Over the years, changes to the group have taken place, but the mission's focus has remained the same; taking care of Team Pope Airmen and their families.

Some of the programs supported by PSAC include the Pope Annual Awards banquet, Pope food closet, Little Gryphon Program, Santa's Attic, Breakfast with Santa, Holiday Food Basket Program, Angel Tree, Volunteer Appreciation luncheon, Airmen's Appreciation Dinner, Air Force Ball celebration, and other family programs. PSAC members are also at the forefront when it comes to representing the community with visiting military dignitaries and guests.

Robert Grover, chair of PSAC said, "My personal opinion is that we do provide a service, we do provide support and we do, above all, care for the Airmen and their families. This year alone we will spend about $12,000 in support of Pope projects and programs.

"But more over, we will spend countless hours with our Airmen by attending functions and events being held on base," he added. "We want our Airmen to see us, to understand that there is a whole community out there that cares, supports and appreciates them. I think they get it."

Mr. Grover added that he is proud of the work that PSAC does to honor the dedication of every Airman here.

"I am a PSAC member because I feel a real need to support the men and women who sacrifice so much for the defense of our nation," said Mr. Grover. "I appreciate what they have done and what they will do in the future. I want our troops to know that there are so many of us that do care and understand what they are accomplishing for our Air Force, Country and community. Not having served in the military before, I feel that in some small way, the activities the PSAC is involved with, supports and assists our Airmen in their duties and helps them accomplish the mission. I feel like I am a part of Team Pope and I know other PSAC members feel the same."

Many of the members of PSAC also participate in Pope's Honorary Commanders program, making them an integral part of the Pope family. It is also not uncommon for Airmen to return home from a deployment and find members of this committee waiting at Green Ramp to welcome them home.

"PSAC is not just a local community group, they are a contributing factor to the mission success here at Pope; they are a part of Team Pope," said Col. James Johnson, 43rd Airlift Wing Commander. "The support they have given us over the years has far exceeded any I have ever seen in my 22-year career. PSAC's unwavering commitment to taking care of our Airmen is a large part of the reason that Team Pope is READY NOW!"