Commissioners welcome new members of Robins Air Force Base, appoint Board members

PERRY — The Houston County Commissioners welcomed Col. Sherry Graham and Chief MSgt. Lloyd E. Morales to Houston County at the most recent Houston County Commissioners meeting. 

Graham is the Vice Wing Commander for the 78th Air Base Wing and said she has been on Robins Air Force Base for a little under 90 days. 

“I’ve been in [the Air Force] for 22 years, and I’m a force support officer as I come in from the private sector,” Graham said. “I’ve got three children, all girls. The oldest one is 13, and she’s on her tenth move, so she is very resilient as all of my children are.”

Graham said she is proud to be at Robins Air Force Base and is excited to work with the community and installation. 

“As you know, Robins is growing each and every day, and we have lots of new mission sets coming on board which, again, bolsters our community and the surrounding areas bringing in great employment to the Warner Robins area and surrounding communities,” she said. 

Graham shared the installation they oversee at the Air Logistics Center hosts about 22,000 personnel. 

“The Air Logistics Center is who we support, and so this is basically tearing down the airplanes that need service, rebuilding them and putting them into the fight and into the air,” she said. “We are constantly on tap for supporting the military, and they are literally the engine behind the military machine there.”

Graham has served in three combat tours in Afghanistan, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. 

“A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into those deployments that I’m proud to say served alongside joint partners all across the nation,” she said. 

In her short time at Robins, Graham said she has had a lot of fun connecting and engaging with the community. 

“I think it’s helped us grow in learning what y’all do and how y’all support us,” she said. “It’s also been great to meet a lot of people that I’ve actually served with that are now community partners out there that were over me or working with me when I was a lieutenant coming in all the way up to a colonel, so it has been good to make those connections and circle back around.” 

Like Col. Graham, Chief MSgt. Morales is happy to be a part of this community. 

“We got here around the same time, and I came down from Ohio at Patterson Air Force Base to come and be the command chief here at Robins,” Morales said. 

Morales has been in the Air Force for 25 years and has participated in many combat tours. He is originally from New York City and is part of a military family. 

“My dad was also military as he was in the Army, so I kind of have a lineage in my family of military service,” he said. 

Morales is a logistics man by trade. 

“Coming into Robins with the Air Logistics Complex, it’s just good to kind of get back to what we do, which is making sure that we can formulate a solid supply chain and get our airplanes back in the sky,” he said. “Thank you very much for the support, and we look forward to working alongside every one of y’all and just continuing our great relationship.” 

Commissioners responded, sharing gratitude towards Graham and Morales.

“Colonel, Chief, welcome to Houston County. We are just thankful to you and your families for service at Robins and for your service to this nation,” Commissioner Mark Byrd said. 

“Thank you for being here and thank you both for sharing your story as we appreciate your service and dedication and welcome you to the community,” Commissioner Gail Robinson said. 

On to new business as the Board approved multiple special exemption applications. 

The approved businesses include automotive detailing, landscaping and brush clearing, educational services, construction, framing, pool construction, a locksmith business and a hand-sewn gifts and home accessories business. 

The Commissioners also approved the appointment of Elizabeth Jones to the Warner Robins Area Transportation Study (WRATS) Citizen Advisory Committee to fill Van Harrington’s unexpired term. Jones’s four-year term will begin at the March 6, 2025, meeting of the WRATS citizens committee. 

“Ms. Jones will be present and a voting member at the November WRATS meetings, that is what we mean by filling the unexpired term, and then she will begin a new term in March for four years,” Chairman Dan Perdue said. 

The Commissioners also appointed new Board members to the Planning and Zoning and Zoning Appeals Board. 

The Board appointed Arthur Clark to serve on the Zoning Appeals Board from June 6, 2024, through June 5, 2028. 

The Board appointed Dr. Stephan Holcomb, Ty Diamond and Zach Ivester to the Planning and Zoning Board, their terms starting Sept. 7, 2024 through Sept. 6, 2028. 

The next Houston County Commissioners meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 15 at 200 Carl Vinson Parkway. To see full agenda go to https://www.houstoncountyga.gov/commissioner/meeting-minutes.cms