Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind. -- Four Indiana business professionals were selected for key honorary commander positions beginning in 2017.
The honorary commander program offers participants an opportunity to work with installation commanders and become involved in the unit.
“Grissom has a long history of interaction with civic and community leaders in the area,” said Col. Larry Shaw, 434th Air Refueling Wing commander. “We have some fantastic new honorary commanders who will not only see what we do, but share our story to the community as well. We are anxious to work with them!”
The new honorary commanders are Mr. Tom Weatherwax, Logansport, Indiana, as the 434th ARW commander; Dr. David Bathe, Lafayette, Indiana, as the 434th Operations Group commander; Mr. Jim Alwine, Peru, Indiana, 434th Maintenance Group commander; and Mr. Jim Walker, Peru, 434th Mission Support Group commander.
Weatherwax is a former state senator, and state representative who retired from the Senate after 20 years. He also retired from an agribusiness and has served as the Iron Horse Festival chairman, as well as a member of the board of directors for the Logansport Economic Development Foundation, president of the Memorial Hospital Community Relations Board, president of the Hoosier Heartland Industrial Corridor Association, and chairman of the United Way of Cass County.He was recently appointed to serve a four-year term as the chairman of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission.
Dr. Bathe is the chancellor of both the Lafayette and Kokomo regions of Ivy Tech Community College. He earned his Doctorate of the Arts and Master of Science degrees in History from Illinois State University and his bachelor’s degree from Greenville College. He also earned an Associate of Science degree from Vincennes University. Dr. Bathe currently serves on the Board of WGU-Indiana, the Board of Greater Lafayette Commerce, the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette Foundation Board, the Lafayette Catholic School Board, the Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette Board, and is a past President of the Tippecanoe County United Way. He also served as the 2013 Heart Ball chair for the American Heart Association.
Alwine is the president of a local heating and cooling business in Peru. He has been a long-time supporter of the military and a successful business owner in Miami County. He started running the family owned business at the age of 21. He is a graduate of North Miami High School, and Interstate Technical Institute. Alwine is also a board member of Grace Pointe Community Church and president of the Mexico Lions Club.
Walker was the mayor of Peru from 2004-2016. Prior to that he served on the Peru City Council for 12 years. He retired as the area manager of network operations for Northern Indiana. He remains active in the community working with the Ole Olsen Memorial Theatre for 46 years and restoring the Peru Depot and the Cole Porter birthplace.
Grissom is home to the 434th ARW, the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command, but also three Army Reserve units and a Marine Corps Reserve communications detachment.
Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter.