Community relations

The 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office manages the base's community relations program. The objective of community relations is to increase public awareness and understanding of the Air Force and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The base maintains an active program that includes a Speaker's Bureau, Honorary Commander program, organized base tours, Honor Guards, National Anthem singers, Pilot for a Day, flyovers, and base participation in large community events such as sporting events and parades.

Our goal is to foster positive relations with the surrounding communities. Participation in community events by Air Force personnel is desirable and highly encouraged; however, limitations of time, money and mission requirements may make it impossible to grant all requests. The Community Relations office can be reached at (520) 228-3378.

Community relations

Base Tours
The 355th Fighter Wing offers organized group tours to educate people about the U.S. Air Force and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and its missions. While we try to accommodate specific requests to visit a particular unit or learn about a specific mission, please understand that our mission must come first. Tours are only provided to organized groups such as civic organizations, schools, businesses, and reunion groups. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate individuals or non-organized groups.

Certain conditions and restrictions apply to all base tours. Tour groups must meet the following requirements:

Size:
Tours are limited to a minimum of 20 participants and a maximum of 45 (or the passenger capability of one commercial bus).

Transportation:
Organizations must provide their own transportation. Tours are limited to one bus. Requests to use multiple vehicles cannot be accommodated.

Dates:
Tours are only offered on weekdays. Tours will not exceed four hours to include a lunch break, if requested.

Meals:
Meal options on base include the Mirage Club, Eagle's Nest Snack Bar & Grill, Head Pin Café and the Base Exchange Food Court. For more information about on-base restaurants go to http://www.dmforcesupport.com/.
The Desert Dining Inn is a dining option only for ROTC and JROTC detachments.

Mobility:
Modified tours may be granted to those with limited mobility; however, this must be stated on the request form. If not stated, it is assumed that walking and stair climbing is not an issue.

Base Access:
Any group members over the age of 18 will have to provide personal information, such as driver's license number, date of birth, and social security number, for an Entry Access List, which is required for base access.

To request a base tour, a "Community Relations Request Form" must be completed and e-mailed to 355wgpa@us.af.mil no later than four weeks from event date. If your organization has any questions, please contact our Community Relations office at (520) 228-3378.

309th AMARG tours
The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), commonly called the bone yard by locals, provides depot-level maintenance, aircraft regeneration, storage and preservation, aircraft parts reclamation and disposal in support of the Department of Defense, allied warfighters and other government agencies. AMARG encompasses more than 26,000 acres and provides secure storage for nearly 4,000 aircraft.

The Pima Air & Space Museum is the official tour provider for AMARG. Bus tours are offered on a first come, first served basis, Monday through Friday only. Tours are approximately 1.5 hours and are seasonal. Photos can be taken from the bus but visitors are not able to get off the bus during the tour. For more information go to http://www.pimaair.org  or call 520-574-0462.

Honor Guard Requests
The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Honor Guard is comprised of an elite group of Air Force men and women, whose primary mission is the rendering of honors at military funerals. The Honor Guard is also very active in supporting community relations events, as their schedule permits. Examples of such events include sporting events, patriotic ceremonies and parades. To request the Honor Guard, please fill out the "Community Relations Request Form" and e-mail it to 355wgpa@us.af.mil no later than four weeks prior to the event date.

Community Event Support Request
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base does participate in large community events, as our mission allows. D-M Airmen have sung the National Anthem at sporting events, thrown out the first pitch, marched in parades, etc. To request support for a community event, please complete the "Community Relations Request Form" and e-mail it to 355wgpa@us.af.mil no later than four weeks prior to the event date.

D-M In the community

The Speaker's Bureau
The Davis-Monthan Speaker's Bureau gives Air Force personnel the chance to directly interact with neighbors in the community, professional organizations, schools, businesses and civic organizations. Our speakers consist of personnel from a wide-array of job descriptions and include personnel from the rank of Airman First Class to Colonel. Most organizations request speakers to talk about the A-10s, Davis-Monthan's mission, specific job descriptions or deployment and personal experiences in the Air Force.

To request a speaker please fill out the "Community Relations Request Form" and email to 355wgpa@us.af.mil. We will try to match up a speaker to your specific request. Requests should be made at least four weeks in advance.

Active-duty personnel wishing to join the speaker's bureau can call Community Relations at (520) 228-3378.

Aerial Event Requests
The Community Relations office helps facilitate flyovers and static display requests; however the process does not start at Davis-Monthan. To start a flyover request a DD Form 2535 must be submitted on-line at http://www.airshows.pa.hq.af.mil/ and receive approval from the Air Force Aerial Events office at the Pentagon. Davis-Monthan AFB can only consider the request after it has approval from the Pentagon.

Flyovers are considered for aviation-related events and patriotic observances held in conjunction with Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, POW/MIA Day, or Veterans Day (event must be within seven days of the actual holiday dates to be considered). There are some exceptions to policies; those not meeting the criteria can possibly be approved one-time only as an Exception-to-Policy event, provided there is sufficient rationale for support.

Coordination with the FAA is required for completion of the DD Form 2535. For the local Tucson/Phoenix metropolitan area FAA representative please call (480) 419-0111 X234 or fax (480) 419-0800. The flyover request process can take approximately 60 days to complete. Please plan to start this process 90-120 days prior to date of the event.

Honorary Commanders Program
The Honorary Commanders Program provides the 355th Fighter Wing commander and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base a community outreach opportunity. The program expands the 355th Fighter Wing commander's ability to foster relationships between local civic and business leaders and base personnel. Community or corporate leaders are assigned to a Davis-Monthan group or squadron for a two year term.

The purpose of the program is two-fold: It allows community participants to become more aware of the various missions and units at Davis-Monthan, and it allows military commanders and their units an opportunity to learn more about the community in which they live. Davis-Monthan commanders and personnel benefit through increased association with the community and its leaders.

The 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office administers the program for the wing commander and provides guidance and advice to ensure the program's overall success. For more information, please contact the Community Relations office at 520-228-3378.

Volunteers
Davis-Monthan Airmen have enormous pride in their service and their communities. Annually our Airmen contribute tens of thousands of volunteer hours on base and in local communities. If you are seeking volunteers for your organization or an upcoming event, please send an e-mail to 355wgpa@us.af.mil. Please include in the e-mail details about your organization, the event, how many volunteers are needed, what types of jobs the volunteers will be doing, and who to contact for additional information. Volunteer opportunities are posted on the base's Volunteer Portal, which is the single source for volunteer opportunities and is accessible by all Davis-Monthan personnel.