15,000 reasons to celebrate Military Retiree Appreciation Day Published Nov. 13, 2014 By Phil Berube 42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- There are about 15,000 different reasons why the Maxwell-Gunter community should celebrate and appreciate military retirees. Each one of those reasons lives and works in the River Region and its surrounding communities. The annual Maxwell-Gunter Military Retiree Appreciation Day is scheduled for Nov. 21, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., in the Maxwell Honor Guard Hangar. The event pays tribute to the commitment of retired service members and honors the contributions of family members. "We should never forget the sacrifices of past generations and the role they played in defending our freedoms, preserving our way of life and paving the way for today's military," said Col. Andrea Tullos, 42nd Air Base Wing commander, who will be providing opening remarks. "This is a day for us to reflect on our 'tradition of honor and legacy of valor' and to personally thank those who came before us." Other guest speakers include a former vice commander of a test wing and now the leader of young men and women at the Air Force Junior ROTC unit at Montgomery's Robert E. Lee High School, retired Col. Antonio Douglas; a former F-4 pilot and POW who was held captive for six years at the "Hanoi Hilton" and who served as a Maxwell staff judge advocate, retired Col. Hank Fowler; and the district commander of the American Legion Department of Alabama, a staunch advocate for veterans' benefits, Willie Rogers. Event organizers stress that the celebration is not only for retired Air Force members. "My hope is that the event will serve as a wonderful opportunity for retirees from different eras and service branches to come together and bond over their experiences," said Capt. Rajesh Mathew with the 42nd Air Base Wing Legal Office and chair of the event committee. "In the end, what it boils down to is no matter if you served in the Navy during World War II, in the Army during the Korean War, in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War or in the Air Force during the war on terrorism, your service is a point of pride to our nation." The captain and his committee of nearly 30 volunteers have been working for weeks in setting up the day with all its planned events. Along with the guest speakers and, yes, grilled burgers and hotdogs and side dishes, the day will include free blood pressure screenings, flu shots and door prizes. Showcasing their wares and services of interest to military retirees will be nearly 30 on- and off-base organizations, such as the Air Force Enlisted Village, TRICARE, Disabled American Veterans, base legal office and retired officers wives' club. About 1,500 retirees and family members attended last year's event, said Mathew.