Beale Air Firce Base, Calif. –
The 940th Wing inducted eight honorary commanders during a ceremony held March 1 at Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
The ceremony introduced the group of newly appointed civic leaders to the wing's senior leaders as the first step in a program designed to help foster relationships between the wing and local communities.
Lt. Col. Patricia Brewer, 940th Mission Support Group commander, said she is looking forward to working with her counterpart, Matthew Eschrich of the Rocklin Chamber of Commerce.
"Matthew is a young professional who will be an asset for the program," said Brewer. "He's looking forward to learning about Beale and our missions here, and he hopes to invite members of our wing to experience Rocklin."
This year, the 940th Wing's honorary commander program expanded to include group and squadron commanders. Chuck Cinnamon, a member of the Military Liaison Committee, has been a part of the reserve unit's program for several years and was inducted as the wing's honorary vice commander during the ceremony.
"I think it's great having Mr. Cinnamon as a civilian counterpart because of his previous years of experience as our honorary wing commander," said Col. John Trnka, 940th Wing vice commander. "His experience with the program will help other civilians get the most out of their time as an honorary commander."
The honorary commander program is a public affairs function that facilitates relationships between civic leaders and commanders. The new honoraries will be invited to participate in employer days, base tours, and other official functions throughout the coming year.
Maj. Tyson Sorci, 940th Security Forces Squadron commander, welcomed his honorary commander, Mayor Gary Davis of Elk Grove, Calif., with a tour of the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance facility and SFS headquarters following the induction ceremony.
"This program is a great opportunity for the wing to connect with the community and vice versa," said Sorci. "It's a great chance for squadron commanders to build one-on-one relationships with influential people in the local communities."
Joining Eschrich, Cinnamon and Davis as honorary commanders for the 940th Wing are:
Honorary Wing Commander - Wendy Gerig, Roseville Chamber of Commerce CEO
Honorary Operations Group Commander - Bob Romness, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce CEO
Honorary Command Chief - Tony Asaro, River Cats Baseball Organization
Honorary Logistic Readiness Squadron Commander - Krista Bernasconi, KFB Public Affairs
Honorary Force Support Squadron Commander - Jeff Weston, Veterans Success Center, Sacramento State University