Beyond the Years of Service: Honoring Our Retiree Community Published Sept. 9, 2026 By Rachael Ferguson 88 ABW/PA WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Years of service may come to an end, but the connection to the Air Force community continues. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base welcomed former service members back to the installation Aug. 28 for its annual Retiree Appreciation Day at the Wright-Patterson Club, bringing retirees together for recognition, connection and access to resources that continue to matter long after active-duty service. Air Force Col. Jason Okumura, 88th Air Base Wing and installation commander, speaks at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Retiree Appreciation Day in the base community center Aug. 28, 2026. Local retirees got the chance to learn about services offered by the base and to ask questions concerning their benefits. (U.S. Air Force photo by R.J. Oriez) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Col. Jason Okumura, 88th Air Base Wing commander, opened the event by thanking retirees not only for attending, but for the years of their lives they dedicated to serving the nation. Okumura also recognized the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Honor Guard, which presented the colors during the opening ceremony. Reflecting on the pride he feels each time he watches the presentation, he connected the young Airmen carrying the colors with the generations of service members in the audience. “What you just saw are some really young folks from all over the nation providing that service to you, reminding you of why you served,” Okumura said. He also emphasized the importance of events such as Retiree Appreciation Day as policies, benefits and individual circumstances continue to change. Information a retiree may not have needed a year ago, he noted, could suddenly become essential. Following the opening remarks, attendees participated in seminars presented by several base organizations. Topics included updates from the 88th Medical Group, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, 88th Force Support Squadron customer service and legislative issues affecting military retirees. David McCoy, a retired Air Force senior master sergeant and interim director of the Retiree Activities Office, said the event serves two important purposes: honoring those who dedicated their careers to service and ensuring they remain connected to reliable information and resources. Robert Speer, U.S. Air Force retired, asks Air Force Col. Deana Dominguez, 88th Medical Group commander, questions concerning the Wright-Patterson Medical Center and retiree health care at the Retiree Appreciation Day, Aug. 28, 2026, in the community center on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The event gave the Wright-Patt community a chance to recognize and thank those who made a career serving the country and for local retirees to get information straight from the source concerning benefits and services. (U.S. Air Force photo by R.J. Oriez) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res “The event provides an opportunity to recognize and thank those who made a career of service and sacrifice,” McCoy said. “It also ensures that the most current information is provided directly from the source to those impacted by changes.” Navigating life after military service can present unique challenges. Laws change, economic conditions shift and benefits evolve, making access to accurate, up-to-date information increasingly important. Retiree Appreciation Day brings many of those resources together in one location, helping retirees and their beneficiaries better understand changes that may affect them. McCoy also recognized the organizations and volunteers who helped make the event possible, including Air Force Sergeants Association Kittyhawk Chapter 751, the Wright-Patterson Community Center, Okumura and numerous volunteers. For Wright-Patterson’s retiree community, the annual event is more than an opportunity to receive updates. It is a reminder that while their time in uniform may have ended, their connection to the Air Force community remains. For more information about retiree activities and resources, contact the Wright-Patterson Retiree Activities Office at 937-257-3221 or 88abw.cvr.workflow@us.af.mil.