Community networking spotlight

  • Published
  • By Rebecca Amber
  • Staff writer
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Edwards Air Force Base has for many years valued the support of the local community. One of the ways the base stays connected is through the Air Force Materiel Command's Community Liaison Program. Four community representatives meet with the 412th Test Wing commander and the AFMC command staff at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, several times a year to exchange information and ideas. The liaisons can then share the Air Force and command information with their local peers in the local community. 

Community liaisons participate as volunteers at their own expense.

One of the liaisons, Alis Odenthal, was first recommended by Lt. Gen. Richard Reynolds during his time at Edwards as the Air Force Flight Test Center commander.
"Prior to moving to the Antelope Valley in 1979, I knew very little about the Air Force," said Odenthal. "I soon grew to understand the role that the military and defense contractors had in the area."

As a new AV resident, Odenthal taught several music classes at Antelope Valley College. Several of her students were in the military, or worked for NASA. Some worked for defense contractors like Northrop, Lockheed and Rockwell.

"They were all eager to share their life stories and their interest in aerospace," she said.

Living in Palmdale at the time, Odenthal was introduced to William "Pete" Knight, who had served as a test pilot at Edwards for more than a decade with flying hours in the X-15 and combat hours in the F-100. He also served as the AFFTC vice commander in 1979. At that time, Knight had recently been elected to Palmdale City council.

"[Pete Knight] and his wife started inviting me to sing for various city and Society of Experimental Test Pilots events," she recalled.

In 1982, Odenthal started working for KAVL radio broadcasting the morning news, which helped her foster a relationship with the Edward's Public Affairs Office. In 1985, she became the news director and anchor for local Channel 3, and over the next 12 years, reported frequently on Edwards Air Force Base. 

"I've had the privilege of knowing all of the recent commanders and many other personnel."

In 1996, she worked for Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich and then as the project manager in Regulatory Affairs for Southern California Edison until her retirement.

As a member of the board of directors for the Antelope Valley Board of Trade, she chaired the Aerospace Committee including the Joint Strike Fighter and Southwest Defense Alliance/Base Retention sub-committees.

"Some of the areas I'm most proud of would be the work the Board of Trade did to promote the Joint Strike Fighter, as well as other important flight test programs and to protect the restricted air space," she shared.

"I was also a part of the initial working group, which organized forums to understand the needs of the base in terms of education, which eventually led, under the leadership of others, to many of the engineering and STEM programs now available locally."

Odenthal learns a lot from Community Liaison members across the command. At a National Security Forum in the early 2000s, she was inspired by the level of expertise and commitment of the "young leaders" they met.

"I wanted to make sure that our community understood that we needed to support the Air Force and the very fine Airmen that we were privileged to have in our community. I also became aware of how interested and knowledgeable members of other communities were in their bases and I wanted that for the Antelope Valley as well." 

From time to time, Edwards Public Affairs will be highlighting local AFMC Community Liaison volunteers along with participants in Edwards AFB's Honorary Commander Program.