Oklahoma commanders collaborate for state change

  • Published
  • By Kimberly Woodruff
  • Air Force Sustainment Center Public Affairs

Military commanders across Oklahoma are using their collective voice to encourage positive change in support of military installations and their populations.  

Air Force and Navy senior leaders from Tinker, Altus and Vance Air Force Bases, as well as the Oklahoma National Guard, convened at Altus AFB  Feb. 3-4 for the fourth annual Oklahoma Commanders Summit. The state’s highest-ranking military member, Lt. Gen. Gene Kirkland, commander of the Air Force Sustainment Center, headquartered at Tinker Air Force Base, hosted the summit. The gathering is aimed at fostering communication among the state’s military installations and across all service branches.

“This summit is a great opportunity to discuss common themes we see at our installations, and what we can do to support and care for our military, civilians and families,” said Kirkland. “As commanders, it is a way to synchronize, compare notes and best practices, and to understand shared opportunities that might benefit the missions of our installations and the workforce that make it happen.  Collaboration at this summit allows all commanders to communicate with a single voice to state and federal leadership.”

Summit attendees also met with officials from key state agencies, including the Oklahoma Military and Veterans Affairs, Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission and the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, as well as the Defense State Liaison Office.  Representatives from each agency served as counsel and provided perspective on issues facing military installations across the state.

One topic the group addressed during the summit is the use of drones near military air space. Col. Corey Simmons, 71st Flying Training Wing commander at Vance AFB, said drones concern him because a citizen flying a drone near the base could affect an aircraft during landing.

Kirkland emphasized that with any state or federal drone restrictions to make military aviation more safe, the public is educated and civil liberties are protected. No-drone zones and increasing public awareness were just some of the ideas presented, but Kirkland encouraged everyone to continue thinking about potential solutions. 

Another topic on the table was health care, following the reorganization of Department of Defense medical facilities last October.

            Col. Matthew Leard, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander at Altus AFB, expressed that families at Altus were not content with health care options at his base. Everyone at the summit agreed that having fewer medical providers would negatively impact families if people had to travel farther than the 100-mile reimbursement range to receive care.

            The commanders also discussed hiring initiatives, education, infrastructure, licensing and retirement tax exemptions during the summit.

            State legislation has been enacted in the past that addressed several topics discussed at previous summits. In 2019, a law authorizing military members and their spouses to request temporary, reciprocal occupational licensing when receiving orders to Oklahoma eased the job transition for many families.

Additionally, the Wind Energy Development Act, passed in 2018 and updated in the 2019 legislative session, set new requirements and penalties for wind turbine development near military airspace.

Mike Cooper, chairman of the Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission, said the legislation protects the strategic and economic value of airspace used by Oklahoma’s three Air Force bases, balancing the needs of the wind industry with the needs of the military.

“At the end of the day, it was about early communication and getting military and wind energy in the same room to discuss strategies,” added Grayson Ardies, deputy director of Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission.

Current state bills that may affect military family members include:

  • SB 1125, Teacher Certification, and SB 1126, Teacher Compensation, which could impact spouses in the teaching profession by removing barriers to immediate employment.
  • SB 1320, Advanced Enrollment of Military Dependent Children, which states the student shall be considered a resident of a district if his or her parent is transferred or pending transfer to Oklahoma. 
  • SB 1325, Virtual School Enrollment, which states the student shall be eligible to enroll in a statewide virtual charter school.

 “I think this is good to get leaders from the state of Oklahoma into a room with the military to figure out what they need and how we can support them,” said Ardies. “Obviously, we are excited the bases are here — they play a big part in the state’s economy. They have their issues, some of which we can help with — anything we can do to help with their mission and keeping them here, we are more than happy to do so.”

“I think the summit is important to get all the installation commanders across the services together in one place centered on what is common to all,” said Col. Paul Filcek, 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker installation commander. “The Oklahoma Commanders Summit is unique and I hope it continues to improve our state military network connections so that military leadership and state representatives can continue to be on the same page, the same mission set, and the same direction going forward.”

 “Oklahoma is a very military-friendly state and from communities to state government they have acted upon many of the things that we have advocated for, and we have a deep appreciation for that support,” Kirkland said. “We look forward to working together for future opportunities.”

Oklahoma commanders collaborate for state change

  • Published
  • By Kimberly Woodruff
  • Air Force Sustainment Center Public Affairs

Military commanders across Oklahoma are using their collective voice to encourage positive change in support of military installations and their populations.  

Air Force and Navy senior leaders from Tinker, Altus and Vance Air Force Bases, as well as the Oklahoma National Guard, convened at Altus AFB  Feb. 3-4 for the fourth annual Oklahoma Commanders Summit. The state’s highest-ranking military member, Lt. Gen. Gene Kirkland, commander of the Air Force Sustainment Center, headquartered at Tinker Air Force Base, hosted the summit. The gathering is aimed at fostering communication among the state’s military installations and across all service branches.

“This summit is a great opportunity to discuss common themes we see at our installations, and what we can do to support and care for our military, civilians and families,” said Kirkland. “As commanders, it is a way to synchronize, compare notes and best practices, and to understand shared opportunities that might benefit the missions of our installations and the workforce that make it happen.  Collaboration at this summit allows all commanders to communicate with a single voice to state and federal leadership.”

Summit attendees also met with officials from key state agencies, including the Oklahoma Military and Veterans Affairs, Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission and the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, as well as the Defense State Liaison Office.  Representatives from each agency served as counsel and provided perspective on issues facing military installations across the state.

One topic the group addressed during the summit is the use of drones near military air space. Col. Corey Simmons, 71st Flying Training Wing commander at Vance AFB, said drones concern him because a citizen flying a drone near the base could affect an aircraft during landing.

Kirkland emphasized that with any state or federal drone restrictions to make military aviation more safe, the public is educated and civil liberties are protected. No-drone zones and increasing public awareness were just some of the ideas presented, but Kirkland encouraged everyone to continue thinking about potential solutions. 

Another topic on the table was health care, following the reorganization of Department of Defense medical facilities last October.

            Col. Matthew Leard, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander at Altus AFB, expressed that families at Altus were not content with health care options at his base. Everyone at the summit agreed that having fewer medical providers would negatively impact families if people had to travel farther than the 100-mile reimbursement range to receive care.

            The commanders also discussed hiring initiatives, education, infrastructure, licensing and retirement tax exemptions during the summit.

            State legislation has been enacted in the past that addressed several topics discussed at previous summits. In 2019, a law authorizing military members and their spouses to request temporary, reciprocal occupational licensing when receiving orders to Oklahoma eased the job transition for many families.

Additionally, the Wind Energy Development Act, passed in 2018 and updated in the 2019 legislative session, set new requirements and penalties for wind turbine development near military airspace.

Mike Cooper, chairman of the Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission, said the legislation protects the strategic and economic value of airspace used by Oklahoma’s three Air Force bases, balancing the needs of the wind industry with the needs of the military.

“At the end of the day, it was about early communication and getting military and wind energy in the same room to discuss strategies,” added Grayson Ardies, deputy director of Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission.

Current state bills that may affect military family members include:

  • SB 1125, Teacher Certification, and SB 1126, Teacher Compensation, which could impact spouses in the teaching profession by removing barriers to immediate employment.
  • SB 1320, Advanced Enrollment of Military Dependent Children, which states the student shall be considered a resident of a district if his or her parent is transferred or pending transfer to Oklahoma. 
  • SB 1325, Virtual School Enrollment, which states the student shall be eligible to enroll in a statewide virtual charter school.

 “I think this is good to get leaders from the state of Oklahoma into a room with the military to figure out what they need and how we can support them,” said Ardies. “Obviously, we are excited the bases are here — they play a big part in the state’s economy. They have their issues, some of which we can help with — anything we can do to help with their mission and keeping them here, we are more than happy to do so.”

“I think the summit is important to get all the installation commanders across the services together in one place centered on what is common to all,” said Col. Paul Filcek, 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker installation commander. “The Oklahoma Commanders Summit is unique and I hope it continues to improve our state military network connections so that military leadership and state representatives can continue to be on the same page, the same mission set, and the same direction going forward.”

 “Oklahoma is a very military-friendly state and from communities to state government they have acted upon many of the things that we have advocated for, and we have a deep appreciation for that support,” Kirkland said. “We look forward to working together for future opportunities.”