SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. —
Team Scott has selected 24 community leaders from across the St. Louis metropolitan region to be part of its 2025 Class of Honorary Commanders.
Designed to educate and increase knowledge and understanding of the military and the installation, the Honorary Commanders program is a two-year in-depth orientation of the various missions, programs, and assets of Scott Air Force Base. Honorary commanders are matched with military commanders to build one-on-one rapport and to facilitate direct engagements with units.
“This program provides us an opportunity to connect with civic leaders who are not familiar with the military or with the base,” said Col. John Poole, 375th Air Mobility Wing commander. “It gives us a chance to help them understand who we are, what we do and why we do it. We are excited to kick off this new class of honorary commanders, and we look forward to seeing where our conversations with them may lead.”
Honorary Commanders will participate will receive briefings and tours of Scott’s global mobility missions and get more in-depth involvement with the squadrons they are assigned to. They will also have the opportunity to meet servicemembers from across the base of all ranks and career specialties.
Honorary Commander class members represent business, government and education specialties and represent the cities of O’Fallon, Mascoutah, Belleville, Glen Carbon, St. Clair County, Centralia, Edwardsville and Shiloh in Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri. Units across the base that are participating along with the 375th Air Mobility Wing are: The Army’s Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command; Air Force Installation and Mission Support, Det. 9; 635th Supply Chain Operations Group; and the 345th Recruiting Squadron.
Congratulations to:
- Philip Bissonnette, Spirt of St. Louis Air Show and STEM Expo
- Alonzo Byrd, Ascension Charity Classic
- Blake Corners, Private Investment Parter The Omnia Group
- Rachel Denning, Fayette County Emergency Management Agency/Fayette County Sheriff’s Office
- Kathy Federico, Jack Schmitt Chevrolet
- Brett Gilliland, Visionary Wealth Advisors
- Dr. Chris Gordon, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- Loretta Graham, Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois
- Elizabeth Grant, Alderwoman City of Edwardsville/Lewis and Clark Community College
- Joanne Hernandez, Scott Credit Union
- Cassidy Hoelscher, The Rehabilitation Institute of Southern Illinois
- Thomas A. Hoff, Jefferson Barracks/St. Louis County Parks
- Chris Klay, Hospital Sisters Health System (St. Elizabeth’s/St. Joseph’s Hospitals)
- George Kriss, Kaskaskia College
- Renee La Bruyere, Horner & Shifrin Inc.
- Dennis Muyleart, Alderman City of O’Fallon/Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
- Nathan Parchman, Alderman City of O’Fallon/The Farmers and Merchants National Bank/Nitro Family Foods
- Stephanie Smallheer, Alderwoman City of O’Fallon/TyeDyed Iguana
- Jenna Smith, Leu Civic Center
- Tyler Vitale, The Weingarten
- Randy Walker, International Flavors and Fragrances/Regional leader for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Dawn Waller, Illinois Mathematics & Science Academy
- Sherriff Rick Watson, St. Clair County
- John C. Ziegler, Memorial Hospital
