Team Edwards honors Martin Luther King Jr. with march, speech

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William O'Brien
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Team Edwards honored the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a walk from 95th Air Base Wing Headquarters to Chapel 1, where a ceremony was held in honor of Dr. King Jan. 14.

Maj. Gen. David Eichhorn, Air Force Flight Test Center commander and Col. Jerry Gandy, 95th Air Base Wing commander, led the participants from various base organizations on the march.

"I think Martin Luther King Day is one of those events that really touches a lot of people because he had such a big impact on our country and on freedom and so many people's lives," said 1st Lt. Julia Pusel, 95th Communications Group project manager."

As the event coordinator, Lieutenant Pusel, said she believes the events were a major success and had a great turnout. She said she was pleased with how many people were so eager to help with putting the event together.

"There were easily 250 people, because the chapel holds 250 people and it was full" she said. "There were even people sitting up stairs. It was a great turnout I was so surprised and so pleased. I had people from several organizations around base sending me e-mails and trying to find out how they could help out."

Lieutenant Pusel said to make this event happen it took the efforts of many people from across the base.

"It took a lot of coordination," she said. "From Public Affairs to the (95th) Security Forces (Squadron), we also had medics out here as well as Transportation. Everybody played a huge part in participating in this event and it was a really great success and I'm happy that I could be a part of this."

During the ceremony at Chapel 1, the keynote speaker was Lt. Col. Susie Lewis, 95th Force Support Squadron commander, she spoke about her life experiences and her concept of exposure, access and opportunity for all.

"Look to help someone by providing exposure, access and opportunity," said Colonel Lewis. "That's something I've been saying for a long time. It's something that's real to me because I know, coming from where I came from, without those things a lot of people are going to be stuck where they are. It is just something that's a part of me, a part of my life and a part of my reality."

Colonel Lewis said she was pleased with how many people told her that her speech touched them and they planned on sharing her message with others who weren't able to attend the ceremony.

"The most memorable part of today was the out pouring of support from people after my speech saying that what I had to say reignited with them and it meant something to them and they were going to share that message with other people," she said.

A member of the AFFTC Equal Opportunity Office, 1st Lt. Carsten Stahr, said as he listened to what Colonel Lewis said, he thought about what the Air Force would be like without Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s impact on history.

"I was just thinking about it today as Colonel Lewis was speaking, and if it wasn't for what Dr. Martin Luther King did, and it wasn't for the actions he took -- the stand that he took -- we wouldn't be here today," said Lieutenant Stahr. "Because we would've lost so many Airmen, so many professionals that we need to be in this Air Force to make us a well rounded and well oiled machine."

Lieutenant Stahr said he's been to numerous events such as this one but said that he hasn't seen a more diversified crowd.

"I love to see the support. There have been so many events on this base and the one thing that I keep seeing event after event is, only Airmen of that race or background attend," he said. "That was weighing on me today as I thought about this (beforehand) I was wondering what kind of turnout would we get today. As I was standing up front holding that sign today, I turned around and looked at the whole throng of people behind us I saw every race, every ethnic group behind us supporting the cause Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. started 40 to 50 years ago and that warmed my heart like I can't explain."