Fort Smith mayor appointed to Air Force Civic Leader program

Fort Smith Mayor George McGill has been appointed to the first class of the U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Civic Leader Program. He will represent Ebbing Air National Guard Base, located in Fort Smith, in the program.

According to the Air Force, the AETC is based at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, and was established and activated in January 1942, making it the oldest major command in the Air Force. During World War II the command provided technical and flying training at more than 600 installations, factories and institutions of higher learning.

A press release from the City of Fort Smith noted that the Civic Leader Program “focuses on enhancing mission success and improving the quality of life for military Airmen.” The term for each appointment is three years. He is expected to attend two in-person meetings and up to two virtual meetings annually.

“To me it’s quite an honor to be part of that group, to be able to weigh in on the wellbeing of military families and military personnel and to provide input on what communities can do to provide them feedback,” McGill told Talk Business & Politics.

McGill said he is one of around 40 in the program.

Ebbing, home to the 188th Wing in Fort Smith and co-located with the Fort Smith Regional Airport, was selected in March 2023 by the U.S. Air Force to be the long-term pilot training center supporting F-16 and F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Finland and other countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Initial estimates are that 1,500 military personnel and family members will be associated with the new center once it is fully operational.

The original plan for the base to support 36 planes has been amended to accommodate 46 fighter jets. Recent estimates indicate the cost of the base when fully operational could be up to $1 billion and produce a $450 million annual economic impact for the region and state.

The training units were activated in early July.

Mayor McGill was first elected to the position in 2018 and began serving as the city’s first black mayor on Jan. 1, 2019. McGill won the race with just under 57% of the vote. He was reelected in 2022.