An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Member of foreign embassy visits Team Fairchild

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kali L. Gradishar
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  As a participant in the Secretary's Hometown Diplomats program, James Kay, a general services officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France, had the opportunity to visit Fairchild and interact with many Airmen June 6.

A retired Army major, Mr. Kay spent 28 years rising from the lowest rank, private, to a position of high esteem. He started his military career as a medic, worked to become a physician assistant and after settling into Spokane at the end of his military career, he joined the U.S. State Department as a part of Secretary Colin Powell's Diplomatic Readiness Initiative in November 2002.

"There were noble causes that we stood for in the Army and with the Department of Defense," said Mr. Kay during a 92nd Air Refueling Wing staff meeting. "I now see them from a different perspective and a different panorama."

He mentioned noble causes during the staff meeting, where he was able to speak to base leaders and representatives.

The first noble cause he spoke of was June 6, 1944, the day recognized as D-Day on which many servicemembers made the ultimate sacrifice.

"Walking the beaches of Normandy is along the same lines of visiting Gettysburg, seeing the sacrifices they made," Mr. Kay recalled.

The evacuation of approximately 15,000 Americans from Lebanon, from which he received a citation for his work during the incident, was the second noble cause he spoke of during the meeting.

"It was very reassuring during that time to turn to a senior master sergeant, major or a colonel for what we needed, and it was not much long later that we had it," reminisced Mr. Kay. "It was a success story; we couldn't have done it without the Air Force. It was rewarding for me to be a part of that."

"These are noble causes and all of them involve a team," he said, adding that vital to success is the creation of strong links of communication and the ability to deliver security, prosperity and safety abroad.

As Mr. Kay's homily focusing on noble causes came to an end, he extended his thanks to Col. Gregory Bulkley, 141st Air Refueling Wing commander, who was also present at the meeting, for making an impact on his son's life, as he flies for the unit. He also took the opportunity to thank the gathering for allowing him to visit and relate to them his experiences.

The Hometown Diplomats Program, which made it possible for Mr. Kay to visit Team Fairchild, was launched by former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, to DOS employees in 2001.

Continued by Secretary Condoleezza Rice, the program allows diplomats to engage with local organizations, schools and government officials on topics such as foreign policies, career experiences, Department work and employment opportunities.