Commissioners hear from Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, proclaim March as Theatre in Our Schools Month 

PERRY— In their first meeting of March, the Houston County Commissioners welcomed Lt. Col. Joel Conrad, Commander of the 116th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron on Robins Air Force Base. 

Conrad said his military career began before he graduated high school, as he delayed entry and left his home in Ohio to join the military in 1990. Conrad has served for about 35 years. 

“I started on active duty, and my first duty station was in Abilene, Texas,” he said. “My career was B-1 Avionics which meant I worked on the electronics and radar systems of the B-1, and that’s how I got to [Robins Air Force Base].”

Conrad said he was supposed to be at RAFB for only two years; however, he realized that being part of the Air National Guard and at Robins was much better. 

In those two years, Conrad met his wife, another reason why he stayed at Robins. 

“We settled down, I transferred into the guard and I’ve been here ever since,” he said. 

According to Conrad, the 116th has been at RAFB for 30 years. They first flew the B-1, then converted to the JSTARS and flew them for the past 20 years. He said guardsmen in the 116th also have a state mission in addition to the federal mission. 

“The governor can call us up for disaster relief [or] anything that impacts the state,” he said. 

Conrad has been a Dual Status Guardsman (DSG) until this past year when he took a full-time role as the Commander of the 116th. He said being a DSG means they have regular jobs in the community. 

“I work at Northrop Grumman as a systems engineer as my civilian career,” he said. 

He mentioned many members of the 116th do the same and said making time for their military career while also tackling a civilian job is a very important component of being a Guardsman. 

“I am not an anomaly. I just happened to stay. I’ve been here for 30 years now, but a lot of the men and women of our unit have roots here,” he said. “They made their decision to stay and that’s because of the work that this community does to make sure that the military families are taken care of. So, I want to thank [the Board] for making this county such a great place for us to live.” 

Commissioners thanked Conrad for his service. Commissioner Mark Byrd said his story about citizens’ service is something that makes Houston County special. 

“We take our relationship with Robins Air Force Base very seriously, and we want you to know that we are here for you,” he said. 

Commissioner Tal Talton shared that freedom does not come free and is thankful for the men and women who serve our country. 

“When I hear people like you that aren’t from here, come here and acknowledge what Houston County has to offer to those who aren’t from here and like it enough to call it home, that means a lot to me and each of us here on this Board for sure,” he said. 

The Board also proclaimed March as Theatre in Our Schools Month. 

The proclamation read: 

“Whereas theatre education plays a vital role in preparing students for success in all facets of life by helping develop creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking skills…educators, administrators and parents across the state work tirelessly to ensure that theatre arts remain an integral part of a well-rounded education…Houston County recognizes the importance of the dedicated theatre educated students that contribute to the vibrant cultural fabric of our schools through their passion for performing arts…Houston County Board of Commissioners recognize March as Theatre in our Schools month and ceremoniously wish that all the thespians in our Houston County schools break a leg.” 

Warner Robins High School student Jayla Carter reached out to the Board to get this proclamation finalized. She thanked the Commissioners and said that theatre education is much more than just putting on a show. 

“[Theatre] teaches students how to communicate clearly, work as a team, think creatively and build confidence in themselves,” she said. “For many students, theatre is a place where students are seen, heard and valued. Theatre gives students a reason to come to school, a safe space to express themselves and skills that follow them far beyond the stage.” 

Carter said recognizing March as Theatre in Our Schools Month means a lot, sending a powerful message throughout the Houston County school system. 

“Creativity and students’ voices matter and arts are an essential part of education, not just an extracurricular,” she said. “On behalf of the theatre educators and the students across our county, thank you for supporting arts education and for investing into the future of our students. This recognition truly means more than you know.” 

In a new business, the Board concurred with the City of Warner Robins’ annexation request on Feagin Mill Road. 

This item was originally brought to the Board at the Jan. 20, 2026, meeting. Commissioners decided to non-concur with the request due to the “rezoning causing a substantial change in the intensity of the allowable use for the property”, the agenda said. 

After further negotiations with the developer and the city, the Board decided to reverse its nonconcurrence and concur with the annexation. The agenda said the construction plan would “reduce the number of dwellings and increase the amount of green-space, satisfying the county’s concerns”. 

The next Houston County Commissioner meeting will be held on March 17 at 5 p.m. at the Houston County Annex on Carl Vinson Parkway. The full agenda of Tuesday’s meeting can be found at www.houstoncountyga.gov/minutes/2026-03-03%20Department%20Head%20Copy.pdf