ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- The call went out in June 2023.
Arnold Engineering Development Complex leadership offered to peel back the curtain ever so slightly for local leaders to gain greater insight into and a deep understanding of the AEDC missions, programs and policies at its Arnold Air Force Base headquarters. AEDC announced it was accepting nominations for the first-of-its-kind Arnold AFB Honorary Commander program.
The intent of the initiative is for the civic and business leaders selected to take what they have gleaned from interactions with AEDC personnel, tours of the base and other activities and bolster public support for the missions of AEDC and the Air Force through their roles in the community.
In March 2024, the first class of Honorary Commanders was inducted during a ceremony at Arnold AFB. Each of those selected serves a two-year term and is assigned to a different AEDC unit.
An Honorary Commander Day was held at Arnold AFB on Dec. 9, 2024, during which the Honorary Commanders toured various facilities; heard from engineers, craft crews and other team members who discussed some of the work performed at Arnold; and were able to ask questions to further educate themselves about the base and its diverse test groups, divisions and operations.
Now nearing the end of their terms, several of the first-ever Arnold AFB Honorary Commanders shared what the experience has been like thus far, what they have learned, and how they intend to spread the word about Arnold and its mission to increase community engagement and support.
Winston Brooks, who at the time of his selection served as executive director for the Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation but has since accepted a position as director of economic and entrepreneurship for Chattanooga, is the Honorary Commander assigned to the 804th Test Support Squadron.
“I was excited to get an in-depth understanding of AEDC and to help AEDC in a way that I have not been able to in the past,” Brooks said of his reaction to being selected as an Honorary Commander. “Much of my work is focused on supporting one of the largest employers in our region – AEDC. I have been involved in the Association of Defense Communities, and my board was instrumental in Tullahoma being recognized as a Great American Defense Community in 2022.
“I believe this best characterizes our region. The community must support the base, and the base must support the community so that the mission can be completed successfully. I can use my unique experiences, professional network and creativity to advocate for the base and make the community aware of what is being accomplished in our backyard.”
Although Brooks said he was unsure how the Honorary Command program would unfold, he was quite familiar with Arnold before taking on the duty, having toured the base “more than the average person” in his role as an economic developer. His time as an Honorary Commander has served to expand his familiarity with the base.
“With the in-depth tours facilitated by the Honorary Commander program, I now have a more thorough understanding of the scale and scope of the test mission,” Brooks said. “It’s amazing and incredibly important. We are fortunate to have the surge of new test capabilities coming online. There are so many details about the facility that help people understand the scale of the facility. For example, the amount of water and electricity used or the engineering and craft skills it takes to build and maintain a facility that captures and cools rocket exhaust.
“Another interesting fact I learned at one of the award ceremonies was from a letter between Theodore von Kármán and Hap Arnold. From the beginning, the facility was intended to be an innovation center to allow for collaboration between scientists and Airmen to create an Air Force ‘Second to None.’ This was revolutionary at that time and still is.”
Brooks has also learned a great deal about the squadron to which he is assigned.
“It has been a rewarding experience understanding the role of the 804 TSS,” Brooks said of his stint as an Honorary Commander. “Their motto is, ‘Enable today, deliver tomorrow.’ Through my interaction with my commander, I understand the importance of this motto for their work at AEDC. I’ve had the privilege of attending events on base, and I exchange emails with my commander to update him on issues that I work on that affect the base, like letters that are sent to our congressional delegation supporting defense installations.”
Brooks said what has stood out most to him during his time as an Honorary Commander is the size and scale of the infrastructure needed to complete the test and evaluation of programs. He added something else that has stood out to him is the how working at Arnold is generational for many families in the area. Another observation that has struck him is the knowledge needed to keep base facilities operating. It’s knowledge Brooks feels needs to be passed down.
“It is critical to inspire the next generation of engineers and craftsmen to replace the team that is here now,” he said.
The experience has also given Brooks greater insight on the importance of Arnold to not only the Air Force but the nation as a whole.
“The entire complex, which spans seven states, has incredible capabilities and in-depth technical expertise to prepare for the next challenge and remain second to none,” he said. “I like to tell people most anything that has ever flown has been tested here.”
Brooks said he and other members of the Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation recognize the town’s role as a Great American Defense Community and the significance of the more-than-$1 billion economic impact Arnold AFB has on the region. Because of this, he said importance of supporting the base and providing a future workforce is “urgent.” To aid in this effort, the development of the Arnold Innovation Center to support the AEDC mission is among the top priorities of the Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation.
“We have been working with the Department of Defense and other organizations to fund and support this facility,” Brooks said. “The Arnold Innovation Center is a place where industry, Air Force and academia collaborate. It will also inspire the next generation of engineers and skilled craftsmen to understand what AEDC does and give them a place where anyone can have access to the advanced tools and technology to gain the skills needed to support AEDC and advanced manufacturing. It will also serve the community’s need with Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs and other small business support to help create more economic activity from commercial spinoff.
“I work with other stakeholders and elected officials to advocate for AEDC’s test and evaluation mission, including organizations such as the Arnold Community Council, the Association of Defense Communities, Tennessee Valley Authority, Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development, the International Economic Development Council, Economic Development Administration, Coffee County Industrial Board, and others. We are fortunate to have representatives and senators that are strong advocates for AEDC.”
Brooks has also been selected to serve as an Air Force Materiel Command Civic Leader, a role that will allow him to further advocate for AEDC with AFMC leadership.
Brooks added the Honorary Commander program has allowed him to gain an understanding and passion for the people who work across AEDC. In his economic development role, he is working to share this with others.
“My board is actively setting up tours for people from CEOs to school groups,” Brooks said. “We have also been fortunate to engage with the Branch Chief for Technical Management and the Innovation and Continuous Process Improvement team to partner on workforce development as well as to collaborate on innovation. Last year’s Business and Innovation Summit is one of the many programs initiated so the community better understands contracting opportunities, learns about the innovations at AEDC and in our local area, and creates education programs to satisfy the workforce pipeline and increase the knowledge base of the region.”
Arnold AFB began accepting nominations for the next class of Honorary Commanders on March 1. The deadline to submit nominations is April 30.
Nominees should normally not be military retirees, as the goal of the program is to familiarize community members possessing limited knowledge of the Department of War with Arnold.
Members of the U.S. Congress, their staff or federally-elected or appointed officials may not be nominated for the program.
No more than one nominee from an individual organization will serve as an honorary commander at any given time with the exception of organizations whose membership comes from a variety of business and organizations, such as the chamber of commerce or other non-federal and civic-supported entities.
Due to the large contractor workforce at Arnold AFB, nominees will be required to declare any organizational conflict of interest prior to their nomination and at any time during their tenure and program alumni status. To ensure there is no perception of a conflict of interest or to prevent creation of an unfair business advantage, individuals chosen for the program will be placed with organizations that do not conduct business with them or contract for their services.
Nominees should not include anyone whose membership may cast a negative light on the U.S. Air Force.
The second crop of Arnold AFB Honorary Commanders will be inducted later this year.
To acquire a nomination form, contact the AEDC Public Affairs Office at arnold.aedc.pa@us.af.mil; or 931-454-4204; or 100 Kindel Dr. A242, Arnold AFB, TN, 37389.