Col. Jeffrey T. Pennington, 433rd Airlift Wing commander, right, greets King Antonio XCI, Steve Dutton, as he arrives at the Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Fiesta Military Parade held April 19.The parade is one of limited military events held during Fiesta, a ten-day celebration that honors the memory of the Texan troops who died defending the Alamo during the 1836 Texas Revolution. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Elsa Martinez)
Alamo Wing honorary commanders enjoy Lackland Fiesta Military Parade



by Ms. Elsa Martinez
433rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

4/23/2013 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND -- Eight honorary commanders assigned to the 433rd Airlift Wing braved unseasonably cool and breezy weather to join Col. Jeffrey Pennington, 433rd AW commander, at one of Fiesta 2013's military festivities April 19.

Due to the recent sequestration and scarce funding, the parade was combined with Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland's traditional, Friday basic military training graduation. But the regal pomp of the weekly graduation ceremony resonated with all attending honorary commanders.

Kathy Phoenix, now serving her second term as honorary commander and partnered this year with the 433rd Medical Group, marveled at the youth and determination of all graduates as they stood on the brink of their future U.S. Air Force careers.
 
"As I saw so many young faces volunteering to defend our freedoms I thought of my children and how these brave airmen were their peers," she remarked.

Jeffrey Downing is a first-term honorary commander for the 74th Aerial Port Squadron and was enthralled by the event.
 
"I enjoyed being there to help celebrate this accomplishment and witness the next stage for all of the Airmen," he said.

"It's just another example of whereby partnering with leadership of the 433rd Airlift Wing has resulted in me having a greater overall appreciation of the reserve forces."