Annual Military Appreciation Banquet carries on tradition of thanks, service

Photo By Mary M. Rall | Sgt. William Rabun leads the 9th Army Band’s Frigid Brass Band April 28 during a performance at the 49th Annual Military Appreciation Banquet at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Photo by Mary M. Rall/U.S. Army Alaska Public Affairs)  

FAIRBANKS, AK, UNITED STATES

04.28.2017

Story by Mary M. Rall 

United States Army Alaska

Individuals from throughout Interior Alaska gathered to honor military service and family members April 28 at the 49th Annual Military Appreciation Banquet at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.
“This event started over 50 years ago when Jim and Rosemary Messer began hosting dinner parties in their home for their friends in the military,” said Bill Bailey, the event master of ceremonies. “They encouraged others in the community to do the same.”
Many Fairbanks residents followed the Messers’ example, Bailey said, with the home-based events growing into what has become the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce’s Military Appreciation Banquet.
According to Bailey, the event has developed to include more than 600 participants, with about 300 members of the Fairbanks community hosting some 300 Army and Air Force service and family members, carrying on the tradition the Messers began decades before.
“This is no longer an effort of just a few civic leaders,” Bailey said. “We now have a highly anticipated, annual community event—a night to honor and recognize the sacrifices of our military service members and their families and to say ‘thanks’ for all you do.”
In addition to an evening of notable speakers, dinner and entertainment by U.S. Army Alaska’s 9th Army Band, a total of 15 service members, family members and Department of Defense employees were honored at the event for their service in support of the military and civilian communities, said Marisa Sharrah, the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce Present and CEO.
Among the four USARAK awardees was Sgt. Jeremy Rigby with Fort Wainwright’s 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, USARAK Aviation Task Force.
Rigby serves as an Apache crew chief maintainer and said he was recognized at the event as a result of his performance during a recent gunnery mission at Joint Base Elmendorf- Richardson and his unit’s latest training rotation to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif.
“I led a couple battalion-level missions that were outside what a person of my rank would normally do,” Rigby said, explaining he safely managed his unit’s parts, supply, maintenance and personnel operations in support of the operations. “It’s usually somebody with a lot more experience or rank that’s running something like that.”
Rigby said he was humbled to be selected as an awardee at the banquet.
“It’s a great honor,” he said. “It’s great to be in a community that respects and honors military service members and stands behind them.”
In addition to the recognitions given to the awardees for their service as members of the military community, the military also honored Jim Dodson, the Fairbanks Economic and Development Corporation President and CEO, with the Messer Award to honor his efforts to continually improve community-military relations.
Col. David Mineau, the 354th Fighter Wing and Eielson Air Force Base commander, led the award presentation, noting the military community continues to benefit from Dodson’s service on the Save Eielson Committee during the Base Realignment and Closure Commission testimonies in 2005.
Ensuring the longevity of Eielson has helped the Air Force to continue to grow and develop in the Interior, Mineau said, to include the installation’s being selected as the base of operations for the Air Force’s first operational overseas F-35 Lightening IIs.
“After hearing that list of accomplishments, I’m indeed tired,” Dodson said with a laugh, adding he’s benefited from his service in support of the military community as well.
“It’s an honor to work with the military here,” Dodson said. “I tell people all the time, Fairbanks is a military town.”
The evening’s keynote speaker, Lt. Gen. Ken Wilsbach, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, North American Aerospace Defense Command; Alaskan Command; and 11th Eleventh Air Force commander, agreed with Dodson’s sentiments.
“Being stationed here in Alaska is just special. Things like what they started in Alaska 49 years ago still happen. You don’t get that in other states,” Wilsbach said of the tradition the Messers began by inviting the military community into their home and lives.
“It’s so meaningful for you to put on this event every year,” Wilsbach said. “The warmth you display way overcomes the minus 55 we sometimes have to experience.”

• Date Taken: 04.28.2017
• Date Posted: 05.01.2017 15:12
• Story ID: 232153
• Location: FAIRBANKS, AK, US