Tim Allen has played a pivotal role in securing the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) training mission for Fort Smith—one of the largest economic development projects in Arkansas history. Since joining the effort in early 2020, he has led seamless coordination among U.S. military officials, state and federal leaders, foreign partners, and local stakeholders to ensure the project’s success, culminating in Fort Smith being officially named the home of FMS on March 15, 2023. The mission will bring more than 1,000 military families to the region, with additional job growth projected across the broader economy, and Tim has worked tirelessly to prepare the community for their arrival by organizing workshops, educational forums, and community tours to address the needs of service members and their families. His leadership has united partners across education, healthcare, housing, state agencies, and Arkansas’s congressional delegation, ensuring Fort Smith is ready to support the mission and fully realize the economic and cultural benefits it brings.

Marty Anderson, a retired Chief Master Sergeant of the U.S. Air Force, is a transformative defense community leader whose impact on Mountain Home Air Force Base (MHAFB) and the City of Mountain Home has been both profound and enduring. After concluding a distinguished Air Force career at MHAFB, Marty continued his dedication to service as the city’s Military Liaison from 2020 to 2025, elevating the role into a strategic engine for mission readiness, infrastructure improvement, and military-community collaboration. A trusted advisor to local, state, and federal leaders, he championed initiatives that secured a $110 million water sustainability partnership critical to MHAFB’s future, prevented the loss of an F-15E squadron by showcasing the base’s unmatched training airspace, and advanced policy reforms such as military spouse license reciprocity and unemployment benefits. Marty also delivered millions in Defense Communities Infrastructure Program grants, strengthened local schools and city utilities, supported housing growth, and led resilience planning that safeguarded nearly a billion dollars in annual economic impact. Through advocacy on Capitol Hill, statewide engagement, and constant collaboration with DoD and Air Force leaders, he ensured MHAFB’s needs were understood, prioritized, and acted upon. Marty’s leadership not only enhanced daily life for airmen and families but positioned Mountain Home as a premier defense community. His visionary service, both in and out of uniform, leaves a lasting legacy of resilience, partnership, and unwavering commitment to those who serve.

Mayor Booker has forged an exceptional partnership between the City of Lawton and Fort Sill—one grounded in communication, shared priorities, and visible support for service members, veterans, and their families. His leadership has strengthened collaboration on major community-military events, encouraged active participation from municipal leaders at installation ceremonies, and ensured military voices are included in city planning and public forums. Under his guidance, joint efforts on important infrastructure improvements—from energy resiliency to airport development—have advanced with alignment across local and military leadership. Just as importantly, Mayor Booker has championed programs that support transitioning service members, helping retain talent and integrate veterans into the local workforce. His consistent presence, advocacy, and responsiveness have not only elevated daily quality of life for military families but have also deepened long-term trust between the installation and the surrounding community, making him a true Defense Community Champion.

Sultan Camp, Director of the Hampton Roads Veterans Employment Center (HRVEC), has been a transformative leader in Southeastern Virginia, connecting veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses with careers, education, and resources to support their long-term success. Under his leadership, HRVEC offers weekly programs—including Employer Tuesdays, Education and SkillBridge Thursdays, HERO Wednesdays, and Entrepreneurship Mondays—plus large-scale career summits and family-focused events like Salute to the Military Spouse, directly impacting over 2,400 military-connected families in the past year alone. Sultan’s focus on supporting the entire military family strengthens both service members and the community, and his efforts helped HRVEC earn Blue Star Families Outpost recognition in 2025, one of only twelve nationwide. His vision, consistency, and innovative approach make him a cornerstone of Hampton Roads’ defense community and a model for supporting military families.

Rick Crandall has become one of Colorado’s most influential civilian leaders in support of service members, veterans, and their families, drawing on his early experience as an Air Force broadcaster to bridge military and civilian communities through storytelling, leadership, and sustained engagement. As founder, president, and CEO of the Colorado Freedom Memorial Foundation, Rick spent more than a decade turning a vision inspired in Normandy into the state’s first memorial honoring all Colorado service members killed in combat since statehood—now a statewide institution that hosts major annual ceremonies, educational programs, and ongoing collaboration with Buckley Space Force Base and local military units. His impact extends across the region through his leadership as Chair of the Buckley Regional Military Affairs Council, where he brings civic, business, and military leaders together to address housing, workforce, and quality-of-life needs, and as Chair of Visit Aurora, where he integrates Buckley SFB and the Colorado National Guard into the city’s economic and cultural identity. Rick’s long-time role as emcee of the Armed Forces Recognition Luncheon further amplifies the stories of Colorado’s service members to thousands each year. Across memorial development, military affairs, community planning, and public engagement, Rick’s work has created lasting structures, partnerships, and narratives that honor Colorado’s military community and strengthen its future.

Pam Featherstone was a small business owner, longtime realtor, community leader, and unwavering champion for Fort Knox and its military families. Her leadership was instrumental in helping KRDA and the local association of realtors implement a new real estate disclosure to ensure homebuyers understood the training activity around Fort Knox—work she drove forward for 18 months when other solutions stalled, ultimately earning recognition from the Fort Knox Garrison Commander for protecting the installation’s mission and readiness. Throughout her career, Pam supported military families through her businesses, guided them as a realtor for more than 30 years, shaped development as a planning and zoning commissioner, and strengthened local leadership programs by incorporating Fort Knox education and engagement. Her unexpected passing left a profound void, but her legacy of partnership, advocacy, and commitment to the Fort Knox community continues to serve as a model for defense communities nationwide.

Tom Ford plays a vital role in strengthening the relationship between Grand Forks County and Grand Forks Air Force Base, located directly on county land. As county administrator, he works tirelessly to support the base’s mission and ensure airmen and their families feel valued within the community. Tom is consistently present at base activities, engages directly with installation leadership, and creates an environment where military leaders know they are supported and welcomed. His involvement with ADC further reflects his commitment to advancing military-community partnerships and advocating for the needs of the installation. Tom leads by example—rolling up his sleeves, doing the work, and encouraging others to join him—which has made him a trusted ally to the base and a strong connector across the community.

Supervisor Penelope A. “Penny” Gross is a respected regional leader whose nearly three decades of service on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors helped transform Northern Virginia into a model defense community. Representing the Mason District from 1996 to 2023, she chaired the Northern Virginia Regional Commission’s Community, Military, and Federal Facility Partnership, where she led major initiatives—including regional BRAC coordination, multi-phase Military Installation Resilience Reviews, and the expansion of REPI and REPI Challenge programs—that strengthened collaboration between local governments and key installations such as Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall, and Marine Corps Base Quantico. Her leadership secured federal support, advanced climate and infrastructure resilience, and protected mission-critical lands while improving housing, healthcare, transportation, and support services for military families and veterans. A recipient of the Department of the Army Public Service Commendation Medal and other statewide honors, Supervisor Gross also championed partnerships with organizations like the Virginia Department of Veterans Services, Serving Together, Hope for the Warriors, and Military OneSource, ensuring comprehensive care and resources for service members and their families. Known for her candor, compassion, and strategic vision, she leaves a lasting legacy of collaboration, innovation, and unwavering commitment to those who serve.

Jeff Hoagland is the President and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition, the principal economic development organization supporting Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Springfield Air National Guard Base, and the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Since 2011, he has led initiatives that strengthen military-community partnerships, enhance quality of life for service members and their families, and drive regional economic growth. Under his leadership, the Coalition launched programs such as Hometown Heroes™, which provides thousands of tickets annually to local events for military personnel and their families, and facilitated Military Appreciation Nights and The Big Hoopla to celebrate service members. Hoagland has championed innovative projects, including a major Enhanced Use Lease on Wright-Patterson, creating the Convergence Research Center to foster collaboration among industry, academia, and the Air Force. He also leads the Dayton Region Military Collaborative, organizes the Ohio Defense and Aerospace Forum, and coordinates the region’s annual Fly-In to Washington, D.C., strengthening ties with policymakers to support local installations. Recognized with the Ambassador Award from the Air Force Association Wright Memorial Chapter and active in the Air & Space Force Civic Leader Program, Hoagland exemplifies visionary leadership, persistent advocacy, and dedication to building resilient defense communities that serve service members, their families, and the broader region.

Kristen Hufford is a Marine Corps veteran, military spouse, and senior field marketing manager at Boingo Wireless, where she leads outreach, infrastructure, and community engagement initiatives across more than 100 military installations nationwide. Drawing on her lived experience of deployments, relocations, and life on bases around the world, Kristen partners closely with MCCS, AAFES, and installation leadership to deliver high-speed connectivity, support quality-of-life programs, and create meaningful events that strengthen community resilience for service members and their families. From deploying Wi-Fi 7 at Mountain Home Air Force Base to expanding Boingo Fiber in family housing at Fort Carson, she ensures that technology, resources, and community programs meet the unique needs of military communities. Kristen’s work emphasizes personal connection—organizing family events, surprise morale boosters, and tailored engagement initiatives—demonstrating that impactful service combines professional expertise with empathy and authenticity. Her dedication enhances daily life for service members, builds enduring partnerships, and exemplifies the spirit of the Defense Community Champion by putting people first and fostering resilient, connected defense communities.

Dennis Lewis has dedicated more than four decades to strengthening Texas’s defense communities through distinguished federal service, state leadership, and deep community engagement. A retired Department of the Army civilian with 39 years at Red River Army Depot—including roles as Chief of Staff, Director of Business Management, and BRAC Transition Coordinator—he brings exceptional expertise in depot operations, program management, and military–community relations. Appointed by Governors Rick Perry and Greg Abbott, Dennis has served on the Texas Military Preparedness Commission since 2012, advising the Governor on policies to preserve, grow, and attract military missions and helping communities secure vital Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grants. His leadership has been instrumental during major challenges, including efforts that helped remove RRAD from the BRAC closure list in both 1995 and 2005, protecting thousands of jobs and stabilizing the regional economy. Beyond state-level service, Dennis has held numerous community leadership roles—as chair of the Selective Service Local Board, school board member, city councilman, Chamber of Commerce military affairs advocate, credit union supervisory committee member, Red Cross board member, and advisor to local colleges—while supporting civic improvements in education, public safety, infrastructure, and industry. His long record of awards, commendations, and professional excellence reflects his unwavering commitment to service, and he continues to support the defense community as a trusted liaison, advisor, and lifelong advocate for military families and Northeast Texas.

Dorsey Newcomb, Executive Director of the Leonard Wood Institute and Sustainable Ozarks Partnership, has been a transformative leader for Fort Leonard Wood (FLW), connecting regional communities, businesses, and government with the installation to improve quality of life and support mission sustainment. Through his leadership, Dorsey has driven improvements in education, housing, and transportation—helping fund new school facilities, secure $100 million for housing upgrades, and modernize the regional airport—while ensuring the community speaks with a unified voice to state and federal leaders. His work has earned multiple Army Community Partnership Awards, strengthened the Waynesville R-VI School District, and enhanced coordination among Missouri’s Congressional delegation, FLW leadership, and local stakeholders. Dorsey’s vision, collaboration, and advocacy have profoundly improved the lives of service members, their families, and the broader region, serving as a model for defense community leadership nationwide.

For more than 15 years, Stan Shepherd has led the Alliance for Fort Gordon, driving regional support for Fort Eisenhower and building strong partnerships across military, civic, and business communities. He has demonstrated exceptional service—volunteering thousands of hours in the Emergency Management Center during Hurricane Helene, helping provide more than 300 free laptops to military spouses and local youth, and championing efforts such as HB 880 that helped the chamber renew its five-star accreditation. Under his leadership, the Fort Gordon/Eisenhower Cyber District and Alliance for Cyber Education became national leaders in K–12 cyber workforce development, earning consecutive CyberPatriot Center of Excellence of the Year awards and growing participation from six to more than 120 teams. Stan’s extensive regional leadership roles and recognitions, including the Army Civilian Service Medal, reflect his unwavering dedication to military families, workforce development, and the long-term success of Fort Eisenhower and the greater Augusta region.

Mr. Dan Slagle is a cornerstone of the middle Georgia defense community, strengthening the partnership between Robins Air Force Base and the surrounding region. As Chairman of the 21st Century Partnership Foundation, he led initiatives like the Middle Georgia Innovation Project, leveraging $65 million in GA-AIM funding to advance AI and robotics, directly supporting base missions and workforce development. Through his leadership in the AFSC Civic Leader Program, Greater Macon Chamber, and Forward Macon, he has fostered collaboration across government, industry, and education, improved quality of life for military families, and driven regional economic growth, making middle Georgia a model defense community.

Johnny Valdez, Navy veteran and founder of Combat 22, has made a lasting impact on the veteran and military-connected community in San Antonio, “Military City USA.” After losing a friend to suicide, he committed to building a culture of support for veterans and their families, creating consistent resources through the Veteran SA magazine and podcast. These platforms share stories of resilience, leadership, and service, provide mental health guidance, highlight local events, and connect veterans to critical resources. Valdez funds and distributes the magazine, reaching veterans offline and online, and has grown the podcast from 40 to 700 subscribers in three weeks. By meeting veterans where they are and amplifying trusted voices, he fosters connection, trust, and empowerment, serving as a model for other defense communities nationwide.