Joint Base garrison commander receives immersion tour

  • Published
  • By Amn. Sara Hoerichs
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Army Col. Nicole Lucas, Joint Base Lewis-McChord garrison commander, visited McChord Field, Nov. 6 to gain a better understanding of the way Team McChord contributes to JBLM’s overall mission.

Lucas took part in an immersion tour that included parts of nearly every aspect of McChord Field’s mission including a prime nuclear airlift forces brief, a visit to a C-17 undergoing a home station check, a 62nd Airlift Wing mission brief and a static display of a C-17 on the flight line.

Lucas spoke with Airmen from multiple squadrons during the tour and received briefings about McChord Field capabilities including Operation Deep Freeze, aeromedical evacuation, special operations and Raven teams.

"I was able to get a better understanding of the Team McChord mission by talking with, and getting a firsthand account from the Airmen who make the mission possible day in and day out," Lucas said.

Col. Rebecca Sonkiss, 62nd AW commander, said the tour was an opportunity to showcase Team McChord’s capabilities.

“We wanted to demonstrate to Col. Lucas the range of missions that team McChord Airmen carry out every day,” said Sonkiss. “Airmen from Team McChord continue to play a key role in countless operations at home and abroad. Any opportunity to showcase that is time well spent.”

The briefings gave Lucas a more detailed understanding of McChord Field’s part in the larger mission.

"The missions that you accomplish on a daily basis and the role that we play in maintaining joint force readiness is critical to our nation's ability to project power, fight and win," said Lucas.