Robins Air Force Base, Ga. -- Being part of the U.S. Air Force has reinforced the often overused, but unfortunately under-practiced, phrase “Community Involvement”.
According to Dictionary.com, “community” is defined as “…a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society…” and “involvement” is defined as “…to engage…”
In the 55th Combat Communications Squadron, we live by these words both in and out of uniform.
Through the leadership of our own Senior Airman Christina Davis, the 55th CBCS along with multiple volunteers throughout the Warner Robins community are helping turn badly burned buildings into housing for 20 veterans and their children. The Genesis Joy House Homeless Shelter, Inc. is the first transitional housing facility in Houston County, Georgia, to house homeless female veterans. Davis is a founding member of the Genesis project.
The combat communications community is a small tight-knit family within the larger cyber community. As a group of Citizen Airmen, our bond is strengthened each year through friendly competition and social events within the squadron. However, the sacrifices our family members make in support of our service does not go unnoticed.
During our most recent Wingman Day activities, our communities came together. We had kickball and basketball tournaments, the greatest 4x4 relay and 100-yard dash races ever (Usain Bolt had a relative there named Tech. Sgt. Jovan Bryant, who ran the last leg of the relay, securing the win for his team), some of the best food cooked by our own renowned chefs, and a dunking booth that where unit personnel and their family members took turns sitting in. My wife got involved in this fun as I sat on the platform. She only threw one ball, missed, and ran up pushing the target to dunk me!
Additionally, thanks to Tech. Sgt. Shannon O’Neal, the Griffin Booster Club and some talented artists, the first ever 55th CBCS Wingman Day t-shirts were created to completely capture the family reunion spirit of the event.
We had more than 30 family members attend the event, and some traveled hours to attend. The event proved to be a great opportunity to get involved, expand our community, and build espirit de corps.
In the 55th, we not only talk “Community (and Family) Involvement”, but we live it in and out of uniform whether on Robins Air Force Base, in the surrounding Middle Georgia communities, or our individual communities outside of this area. Go Griffins!