Community leader retires but promises to continue support for AEDC

  • Published
  • By ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn.
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. --  The name Walt Wood may not be familiar to many Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) employees, but Wood has been a supporter of AEDC and its mission for years.

Wood was one of the original founders of the Arnold Community Council (ACC), a group created in 2000 to promote, support and protect AEDC.

Since that time, the mission of the ACC has changed some, but Wood's involvement continues.

His "day" job (until recently) was at the Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce as its executive director for economic development and tourism, but everyone knew about his passion for the military, the Air Force and especially AEDC.

Though the current AEDC Commander, Col. Raymond Toth, hasn't known Wood long, he attended the community leader's retirement ceremony to thank him on behalf of AEDC saying, "Your reputation certainly precedes you."

Toth thanked Wood for his efforts to support the base, including bringing the Chief of Staff of the Air Force to Arnold and to an ACC banquet at the Calsonic Arena several years ago.

Wood served on the ACC board of directors for two terms and from 2004-2005, he was the ACC president.

AEDC's commander during Wood's ACC presidency was Brig. Gen. David Stringer, now retired. "Commander's need to build strong relationships with surrounding communities and no one did more to make that happen when I was AEDC Commander than Walt Wood - whose call sign is "Yoda," said Stringer.

"Walt not only taught me the ropes (now you know where Yoda came from), but three successive Air Force Chiefs of Staff have sought his counsel and valued his skillful work on a spectrum of issues of national importance," said Stringer. "I treasure our friendship and salute his magnificent legacy."

During his time at AEDC, Stringer planned several civic leader tours. The tours took community leaders to other bases across the United States so they could learn more about the Air Force. One of those trips was to Altus AFB and Moody AFB. Each had community councils who met with elected officials trying to gain support and improve their base's visibility with decision makers in Washington, D.C.

ACC focused on sponsoring base events, collecting donations for the annual Veterans Picnic and for the AEDC annual award winners. Altus AFB and Moody AFB did these things and more.

Wood and a few others developed a Legislative Affairs Committee. The goal of the committee was to keep elected officials and their staffers, whether state or federal, aware of AEDC and its impact on national defense. Prior to his employment with the city of Shelbyville, Wood worked as a staffer for Congressman Jim Cooper.

In 2005, Wood led a small team of ACC volunteers on the group's first trip to the nation's Capital where they met with elected officials to discuss AEDC.

He later helped plan an annual breakfast for members of the Tennessee Legislature and the first ACC breakfast on Capitol Hill.

The Legislative Affairs Committee has grown through the efforts of Steve Cope, the current ACC president, who led the group for several years, and more recently, Mark Williams and Mike Niederhauser.

In addition to the annual breakfast held for elected officials and their staffers, meetings are scheduled with the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and key leadership at the Pentagon involved in test and evaluation. During the last two years, ACC has also formed a working relationship with the community councils for Edwards and Eglin Air Force Bases; an effort led by AEDC retiree and then ACC President, Temple Bowling.

Meanwhile, Wood started to focus on bringing in new blood. He encouraged other leaders in Bedford County to visit and learn more about AEDC. Before his stint with the board of directors ended, Wood found and recruited his replacement, Ben Craig. Craig is on the ACC board and is the vice president; he becomes ACC president next month.

Through the years, Wood took advantage of numerous opportunities to learn more about national defense. He participated in numerous Civic Leader Tours, both outgoing and incoming to AEDC. In 2008, he was selected for the Air Force Chief of Staff's Civic Leader Program.

As part of the Chief of Staff's group, Wood, traveled to a variety of places to see and learn more about the Air Force mission.

In 2012, he was awarded the Air Force Community Service Award. The citation read in part, "Mr. Walt Wood provided exceptionally distinguished public service to the United States Air Force from January 2008 to January 2012. He conscientiously advised senior Air Force leaders on the development of national and international Air Force programs, and facilitated cooperation between civilian communities and Air Force entities to ensure each program's success. He openly communicated information about Air Force missions and requirements to the American public, increasing awareness and understanding among local, regional and national audiences."

When receiving the award, Wood said he understood how important it is for AEDC's workforce to be in a position to stay focused on the mission.

"We face a very dangerous world," Wood said. "Arnold is on the forefront, making sure aircraft, solid rocket motors and engines work properly and we get as much life as we can out of them. We need {our weapons systems} to do what they're supposed to - when our airmen, soldiers and other members of the military press the button, pull the trigger or give the command, it's got to work."

Stringer said, "Along with Jerry Mansfield (another former ACC president), Walt Wood provided knowledge and support that changed AEDC from a best kept secret to a well-prized asset in Tennessee, Alabama and on Capitol Hill."

Today, Walt Wood is part of the emeritus team selected to assist the Air Force Chief of Staff with key items such as strategic planning and even though he is now enjoying retirement, he promised to stay active in the ACC and continue to support and promote AEDC.