Retiree Appreciation Day coming up

Col. Kurt Lohide, 435th Air Base Wing commander, invites area retirees to celebrate Retiree Appreciation Day Sept. 29 at Ramstein. The day will offer opportunities to hear about retiree issues, greet old friends and meet new ones. There will also be an update on Ramstein’s future facilities, including a bus tour of the base.  

 Registration will take place inside the front doors of the Ramstein Officers’ Club beginning at 8 a.m. Coffee and pastries will be available at no charge to attendees.

Col. Johnnie Seward, Jr., Chief of Personnel Programs at HQ U.S. Air Forces in Europe/A1 and USAFE’s Active Duty Retiree Liason, will provide opening remarks at 8:30 a.m. followed by a few short briefings.

Representatives from a variety of agencies, including Survivor Benefits, Mortuary Affairs, Family Support, Personnel, and Finance, will be available until 11:30 a.m. to provide information and answer questions one-on-one. The 435th Medical Group and Landstuhl Hospital will offer TRICARE and dental information, along with some basic medical screenings. Additionally, AAFES and Defense Commissary Agency representatives plan to offer “specials” for the retiree population.   

The bus for the base tour (approximately one hour) will leave from the officers’ club parking lot at 1 p.m. Bus transportation will also be provided to and from the base dining facility during the lunch break.        
 The event is open to retirees and spouses from all service branches, but isn’t restricted to those who’ve already retired. Information presented will provide active duty individuals an idea of what services are available to them after retirement.

 For further information, contact retired chief master sergeants Max Pfauntsch at 480-0206 or max.pfauntsch@ramstein.af.mil, or Dave Killman at 480-7563 or david.killman@ramstein.af.mil. (Courtesy of the 435th Air Base Wing)