Photo By Senior Airman Benjamin Riddle | 62d Airlift Wing leadership and Airmen, along with civic leaders from the local area, stand together on the McChord flightline at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, May 19, 2026. Local civic leaders arrived at JBLM early that morning in preparation for an incentive flight aboard a C-17 Globemaster III. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Benjamin Riddle) see less
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JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES
Come Fly with Me: The May 2026 Civic Leader Flight
On Tuesday May 19th, the 62d Airlift Wing and several Team McChord units came together to showcase their vital mission sets to influential civic and business leaders from around the Puget Sound. In addition to these briefings, the leaders were given a peak into the life of 62d AW aircrews via a planned flight aboard a C-17 Globemaster III.
Many of the invited leaders belong to Washington state legislature, local city leadership and important businesses and organizations throughout nearby communities. These organizations help support Team McChord and all Joint Base Lewis-McChord units through continued partnerships and community engagement for service members throughout the region.
Units across Team McChord including the 62d AW, the 446th AW, the Western Air Defense Sector and the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron highlighted their critical roles within the Air Force before the local leaders drove to the JBLM Passenger Terminal to climb aboard a C-17.
Throughout the flight, the aircrew conducting the sortie was able to showcase combat offloading, low-level flying and ramp opening sequences to the civic leaders. This flight further emphasized the important work that Airmen at JBLM perform everyday while strengthening Team McChord’s imperative relationships with local leading organizations.
