A new view on life: Come experience all your FSS has to offer

  • Published
  • By Maj. Shaun Berger, Deputy Commander
  • 88th Force Support Squadron

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- A little over a year ago after arriving at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the 88th Force Support Squadron, I wrote a commentary for Skywrighter titled, “Your FSS doors are open: A plea for community engagement.” My goal was to encourage the installation to step back into the community and engage with one another through 88 FSS and Army & Air Force Exchange Service establishments.

Take a few minutes with me now and remember what life was like last spring and summer—for me, it seems like a distant memory.

We were still in the process of emerging from a COVID-centric world, and every day, we seemed to have one foot in restrictions and the other trying to step over into a post-pandemic way of life. Our guidelines and conditions were back-and-forth—I remember checking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s community-levels tracker weekly, hoping Greene and Montgomery counties would drop into medium or low-risk thresholds.

As FSS event planners, we wished for Health Protection Condition Alpha levels while we planned for how we would execute in Bravo or Charlie requirements. Thinking back on that chaotic time, your FSS remained open and provided morale, welfare and recreation services to our community.

Today, I’m here to tell you we are still open and better than ever. And while COVID is not completely a thing of the past, our current levels and safeguards are such that we can operate without restrictions. Our life looks very different.

This year, my plea is the same, but stronger. Wright-Patt’s FSS is open and renovated, and we are here to welcome you back.

Have you seen the newly remodeled Wings Bar and Grille at the Wright-Patterson Club? If not, get the team together for lunch or grab a friend for an after-work drink Wednesday through Friday. The space looks spectacular, the food is delicious, and the tap-wall is still there and operational.

What about Wright-Patt Country Club? We’re offering innovative packages that build on the standard club membership—with three levels and an exclusive option for dorm residents, your upfront monthly or annual fees for an individual or family will earn you discounts on food, activities, early event sign-ups, premium parking, VIP seating and more.

Whether it’s golf, bowling, tennis, shooting, camping, woodworking, concerts, parties or other functions, there is truly something for everyone at Wright-Patt Country Club.

Lastly, if you’re not familiar with the Unite program, you and your teams are missing out. Unite provides commanders and directors with funding to offer unit cohesion and morale events. Every Air Force and Space Force active-duty service member, Guard or reservist, and Department of Defense civilian assigned to Wright-Patt and local Air National Guard bases can participate (family members can use the funding with written approval from a unit commander, and contractors are eligible but must pay any associated costs).

This year, each unit is allocated $13.50 per person for activities and $5 for food funding. Yes, you read that right. You have $18.50 a person to create an outstanding unit event, and you didn’t have to do anything to earn it.

In addition, we have a Unite coordinator who can help plan your event. Friends, it really can’t be any easier than this to connect with your teammates.

I could go on, but I’ll leave it with this—come experience all that 88 FSS has to offer you, your team and family. The world looks different than it did last year, and for the better. Your FSS is no different. Don’t take the important community part life for granted. We all know what it’s like to lose that for months or years at a time.

Come enjoy some much-needed downtime, team-building and memory-making with your family. You can check out www.wrightpattfss.com for all the specifics—we’ll see you out there!