Arnold Community Council holds annual banquet and inducts new AEDC Fellows

  • Published
  • By Greg Sandlin
  • Arnold Community Council

The Arnold Community Council held its annual banquet and Arnold Engineering Development Complex Fellows induction ceremony, Nov.14, 2024.

Arthur F. Huber II, Air Force Test Center executive director and former AEDC commander, served as the guest speaker.

During the banquet, outgoing ACC president retired Air Force Col. Dan Pierre highlighted the work accomplished by the ACC during his one-year term. He described the impact of the successful trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with Tennessee’s Congressional representatives and Pentagon representative. He also emphasized support for the annual veterans picnic at Arnold Air Force Base, headquarters of AEDC, and recognition of outstanding first responders.

Incoming ACC president Tullahoma Mayor Lynn Sebourn emphasized the importance of the area communities strategically planning to provide the housing, education and quality of life that the AEDC workforce requires. He stated that the ACC will continue to facilitate communication between AEDC and local, state and federal agencies, as well as serve our active-duty members and veterans.

Additionally, the AEDC Fellows Program added three new members in 2024. New members included Alan Hale, Scott Meredith and Gary Knox. Hale and Meredith were selected as AEDC Technical Fellows while Knox was selected as an AEDC Lifetime Achievement Fellow. 

Hale was selected as result of his subject matter expertise in turbomachinery and acoustical modeling, which has been recognized by academia, industry and federal government agencies as advancing the aerospace state-of-the-art. 

Meredith was selected for his breadth and depth of knowledge used in advancing the fidelity and productivity of wind tunnel facilities around the world for diverse customers including the Department of Defense, NASA, Department of Transportation, Korea, Germany and the American aerospace industry. 

Knox was selected for his work as a senior staff engineer where he led the integration of systems across contractual, customer, government, industry and facility interfaces.

The AEDC Fellows Program, chaired by Gen. Mike Wiedemer (Ret.), recognizes individuals whose specific accomplishments and contributions to aerospace ground testing at AEDC disproportionately and positively affects customers, suppliers, stakeholders, and employees of AEDC; sister government organizations, industry partners; and state of the art. 

The ACC was established in 2000 to promote, protect, and preserve AEDC and to facilitate interaction and cooperation between AEDC and the surrounding communities. The ACC represents 13 southern Middle Tennessee and Alabama counties. Members of the council visit the Tennessee Congressional delegation and other key members of the U.S. Congress each year and keep open communications with members of the Tennessee legislature and local governments. The Council sponsors awards to honor AEDC quarterly and annual military award winners. ACC also supports the annual AEDC veterans picnic, the AEDC children’s Christmas party, the Honor Flight of Middle Tennessee and Wreaths Across America. The council leadership plans to continue working to protect and support AEDC and to continue strengthening relationships with community councils at its sister bases in the test enterprise.

ACC is a Tennessee nonprofit corporation and an IRS 501(c)(6) nonprofit.