Photo By Tech. Sgt. Heather Ley | Don Mallion, Fairchild Air Force Base Retiree Activities Office volunteer, sits at his desk at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, June 30, 2026. Mallion dedicates his time to connect local military retirees and their surviving spouses with vital base agencies, ensuring they receive the benefits and guidance they need. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Heather Ley) see less
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FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES
Fairchild Retiree Activities Office seeks volunteers to sustain vital community link
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. — For decades, the Retiree Activities Office at Fairchild Air Force Base has served as a vital link between the military installation and the local military retiree community. Today, however, the office is facing a critical shortage of volunteers, reducing its operating hours to just one day a week.
The resource is highly utilized in a region that, according to local census data, is home to approximately 40,000 military veterans living in Spokane County alone.
Don Mallion, an Air Force veteran, is one of only two volunteers keeping the office’s doors open. Mallion, who retired from his civilian role in 2017, spends his Tuesdays answering phones and connecting retirees with the base agencies they need.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the office boasted a robust team of volunteers and a full-time director, even spearheading the base’s annual Retiree Appreciation Day. But after the pandemic, only Mallion and his colleague, Bernie Fritz, returned.
While the RAO is an official activity under the oversight of the installation commander, its day-to-day operations rely entirely on a volunteer force. According to Maj. Charlie Mark Dacanay, 92nd Air Refueling Wing deputy director of staff, there is currently no active search for a new office director. Instead, base leadership hopes community outreach and the upcoming Retiree Appreciation Day will help identify new volunteers and leadership to rebuild the program.
“The biggest thing we can provide is information,” Mallion said. “We are volunteers, so we have no access to any of the military systems ... but people call, and we can try to get them to who can help them.”
The office primarily acts as a liaison, connecting retirees and their families with the right base agencies. Mallion highlighted their close coordination with base casualty assistance and TRICARE representatives as some of their most impactful work, particularly when helping surviving spouses navigate benefits after a retiree passes away.
Despite the demand, the office is currently only open on Tuesdays for four hours. Mallion’s primary goal is to recruit enough volunteers to open the office five days a week. The work is straightforward and includes answering phones, providing contact information and offering a welcoming environment for visiting retirees.
For Mallion, the time spent volunteering offers a unique reward and a continued connection to the military.
“I kind of saw this was a two-way street,” Mallion said. “Number one, I could help folks, but by the same token, I can stay in tune with what's going on in the Air Force and keep my knowledge up to speed. It was a 'you help me, and I'll help you' type of situation.”
According to Air Force guidelines, eligible volunteers include retired service members, their spouses or former spouses, and widows or widowers of deceased service members who are eligible for retirement benefits.
All volunteers must sign a Department of Defense Volunteer Services Agreement and be able to obtain and maintain necessary base access credentials. Depending on the specific volunteer duties, this may require obtaining a volunteer logical access credential, or VoLAC.
Retirees seeking in-person assistance can find the Retiree Activities Office located inside the ID card office at 7 W. Arnold Street, Building 2040, on Fairchild AFB.
Those looking to call the office on Tuesdays can reach them at 509-247-5359.
Individuals interested in volunteering to help expand the office's operating hours can contact Dacanay at[charlie_mark.dacanay.4@us.af.mil](https://www.google.com/url?q=mailto%3Acharlie_mark.dacanay.4%40us.af.mil "mailto:charlie_mark.dacanay.4@us.af.mil").
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