Telling Robins’ story: RAFB Public Affairs Office gets the word out

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. — Robins Air Force Base does a lot for Houston County. They hire a tremendous amount of people within the community, they bring in new individuals and families as they travel for their careers, they’ve created partnerships with governments and local businesses nearby and in many ways, they inspire the locals, young and old, to reach for greatness. Those stories have to be told. Their Public Affairs Office has taken on the task.

“We tell the stories of Robins Air Force Base in one form or another,” Roland Leach, RAFB’s media operations chief, said. “We’re front and center on many of the key events, the ceremonies. We talk to leadership, the people that’s over any kind of mission or operation. We do the high level stuff, as well as the stuff that’s in the weeds that people never know anything about.

“We go high to low as far as our coverage, and we make sure everybody is well represented out here. We tell that story … it’s a responsibility we all take to heart.”

Leach and other members of the Public Affairs team use a litany of skills including writing, photography and social media and website management. They ensure that events on base are well documented with articles and photos, and make sure that the word gets out to others on base and the surrounding community. They work as the base’s interface with the middle Georgia as well, bringing in local JROTC groups to tour the base and inviting journalists out to other public events. They also manage the base’s website and social media pages.

They do this by having many people with plenty of expertise.

Command Information is a group of writers who go out and do features and stories on the base and the people who work within it. The visual information section is made up of photographers and videographers; they report on and document the goings-on of Robins Air Force Base using photos and video, and take the official photos for staff.

The digital media team manages the base’s social media pages and their website, managing the dissemination of and ensuring that those in and around the base are well informed. Community Outreach works to communicate regularly with the base’s community. Finally, Administration keeps everyone organized and task-oriented.

All told, 13 individuals are tasked with covering communication for the entire base, telling the story of Robins and its people, alongside more specific public affairs groups for smaller groups. In addition to their individual educations and skills, they each trained in public affairs through a six-week course out of Washington D.C. to be able to do this work.

They confer with one another to double and triple check information that comes out of their office, and ensure that information shared in accurate and safe to disseminate.

“We have a big task,” Leach said. “We do it.”

Leach has been fulfilling that task for nearly 33 years, starting in 1990. He is a long-tenured member of Robins’ Public Affairs Office, and his final official day before retirement will be April 30. He’s leaving after a long career working with Robins Air Force Base, and plans to spend some time focusing on hobbies and travelling.

He’s spent his career telling the story of RAFB, but not a lot of time telling his own.

After visiting Robins during a work trip for Air Force Reserve Command out of Chicago, He moved down to Georgia and took a job at Robins Air Force Base. He’s been working here ever since.

He’s stayed here, Leach said, because Warner Robins reminds him of his own hometown.

He’s been present for several landmark events for Robins, some of which he disclosed to The Journal.

In 1995, Robins won the Commander in Chief Installation Excellence Award — an honor that is bestowed up the base that is judged to be the best in the entire Department of Defense.

“We were the best, and you talk about a proud moment — not only on base but also within the community — all the signs in stores said ‘best base, best folks,’” Leach said. “They were celebrating that, and probably around that time you started seeing the acronym, EDIMGIAFAD.”

Leach also saw the arrival of the JSTARS, the groundbreaking for their facilities, and the transfer of talent from the 116th Bomb Wing and the 93rd Air Control Wing. He was present during Operation Desert Storm and the relocation of several units from Robins to the Middle East — during which time, the depot maintenance team still at the base went into a “surge,” working around the clock to “support our troops.”

Leach filmed the torch runner for the 1996 Olympics as they made their way to Atlanta. He was also present at the base to watch the transitioned that occurred as a result of 9/11, and how the community came together.

“Back on September 10th, 2001, you could actually drive onto the base, be waived right on into it,” Leach said. “September 11, 2001, that all stopped.

“The base and the community all pulled together at that time something like you’ve never seen. Everyone was in shock at the time, everyone was supporting one another.”

Most recently, Leach has watched as the JSTAR mission has come to a close, while a new group of missions, including the Air Battle Management System, has begun to take its place at Robins.

All told, from 1991 to today, Rolland has documented and reported the major events, film shoots, new missions, tragedy, community gatherings and even a pandemic — all Robins history — just as the other 12 members of the Public Affairs Office will continue to do after he leaves.

The Journal asked Leach if he had a closing message for Robins Air Force Base and the staff that will continue their work there after he’s left. All he had to say was this:

“Like the thing on the wall used to say: Keep em’ flying.”

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