Nearly 250 local leaders celebrated the military commands located at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) during The Greater San Antonio Chamber’s Command Reception, presented by USAA.
Greater Chamber leaders paid tribute to U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Al Pepin, the former commander of Army North and Fifth Army, who presided over the Fifth Army’s recent inactivation after 55 years of service while headquartered at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston. They also welcomed Brig. Gen. Dave Wilson who is the new commander of the 502nd Air Base Wing and JBSA.
“It's been an honor to serve alongside our service members who make the ultimate sacrifice to protect citizens they've never met before,” said Lt. Gen. Pepin. “In some cases, citizens who may not even have the same ideals. And that's the spirit of the American service member.
“I'm honored to have served 38 years, and I walk away knowing that there are great Americans like you who support the military community,” he said.
Brig. Gen. Wilson expressed his commitment to continuing JBSA’s strong partnership with local civic and business leaders in support of the service members and their families who call San Antonio home.
“I want to say thank you to the chamber for this partnership. San Antonio is the gold standard. In Anchorage and in Colorado Springs, we were always chasing after the partnership that we saw in San Antonio. And I'm so excited to be a part of it,” he said.
The crowd included approximately 40 senior military officer, civilian and enlisted leaders of multiple JBSA organizations and headquarters. Also among the attendees were the Tri-Chairs of the Military Transformation Task Force, including County Commissioner Grant Moody, City Councilwoman Misty Spears, and Greater Chamber President and CEO Jeff Webster, along with Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Scott Jackson who supports the work of the task force as Director of Military and Veteran Affairs for the City of San Antonio.
“The military is part of the fabric of who we are in San Antonio,” said Councilwoman Spears. “As San Antonio continues to grow, we have to ensure we are building a community that can support our residents and our military missions. We have to continue investing in reliable infrastructure, our utilities, technology, and other critical resources. It's a partnership we have to continue strengthening.”
Webster closed the program with a pledge of support on behalf of the business community. “Help us, help you. We are here to advocate for the needs of JBSA to the local, state and federal government. We work very diligently to protect our local military missions and support our active-duty and retired military service members, along with their families. We salute you and we thank you.”
The Greater Chamber’s Command Reception provides an opportunity for local leaders to welcome incoming commanders, recognize departing leaders for their service and contributions, and celebrate the enduring partnership between JBSA and the San Antonio business community. In addition to USAA, this year’s event was made possible by the City of Cibolo Economic Development Department, Frost and Boeing.
San Antonio will pay tribute to the military throughout November during the 55th Annual Celebrating America’s Military (CAM), which is the nation’s largest and longest-running military appreciation celebration. To sponsor and attend CAM, visit sachamber.org/celebrate-americas-military/.