Why Recognizing our Heritage Matters: The Air Force Ball
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- In a few short weeks, Columbus Air Force Base will take an evening to celebrate the Air Force’s 71st birthday and the 77th year that the air base has been a part of the Columbus, Mississippi community.
This is a time where all of Team BLAZE can step away from operations and recognize the incredible heritage that we are a part of. Yes, that “we” includes you.
So, why should you care about our heritage? Why should you care that establishment of our base is due to the persistent efforts of local citizens and 100 of the area’s leaders banding together to secure the defense industries that would lead to the establishment of an Army Air Field in 1941? Or that we graduated 195 students a month during World War II for a total of 7,412 pilots? Or that we have been a Strategic Air Command asset for 12 years of our 77 year history? And, that time and time again, we have been tasked by the Air Force to produce the best pilots in the word?
It matters because it allows us, as Airmen, to understand who we are now by understanding the actions and people that led us to 2018.
Heritage includes the intangible knowledge and traditions that we have inherited from past generations, that we cherish today, and that we will pass along in the future.
It is the experience that we can look back on and know that we can handle the road ahead because we have met greater challenges before. Heritage is how we know that, together, Columbus AFB will rise to the occasion, because we always do and we are proud of it. So, mark you calendars and join us in recognizing our heritage on Sept. 22, 2018.
The 2018 Air Force Birthday Ball will take place on September 22, 2018, at the Trotter Center in downtown Columbus. For more information and to purchase tickets please visit: http://buytickets.at/columbusafbafbirthdayball/162451.