Mayor George McGill Accepted into Inaugural Air Education and Training Command Civic Leader Program
Fort Smith, AR - Mayor George B. McGill has been selected for the inaugural class of the U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Civic Leader Program. Mayor McGill will join the current class of 2024 and represent the 188th Wing, Ebbing Air National Guard Base, and the Greater Fort Smith community.
Established to strengthen the partnership between civilian leaders and AETC officials, the AETC Civic Leader Program focuses on enhancing mission success and improving the quality of life for military Airmen. A standard appointment to the program lasts three years (36 months). Mayor McGill’s summer appointment to the program requires him to serve a little less than two and half years. Participants are invited to attend two in-person meetings per year, usually hosted at an Air Force installation, and up to two virtual meetings annually.
Mayor McGill’s acceptance into this program acknowledges his unwavering commitment to fostering goodwill and supporting military personnel in Fort Smith and beyond. His leadership and collaboration with both local civic and military leaders have been pivotal in Fort Smith being chosen as the site for the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Pilot Training Center at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in 2023.
The FMS contract for F-16 and F-35 pilot training will bring military personnel from several countries across the globe to work and live in Fort Smith. As of 2024, the city's dedication to the FMS program and its broader impact on national defense earned Fort Smith the distinction of being one of the country's Great American Defense Communities.
Mayor McGill’s participation in the AETC Civic Leader Program underscores City of Fort Smith's investment in building and sustaining strong relationships between military and civilian communities.
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About Mayor McGill
George B. McGill was elected Mayor of Fort Smith in August of 2018. As the first African American to ever be elected as Fort Smith Mayor, McGill is a trailblazer who has used his dedication to public service to advance the common good at federal, state, and local levels. Prior to serving as Mayor, McGill represented Fort Smith, his hometown, in the Arkansas House of Representatives for three terms.
Learn more about Mayor McGill.
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About the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Civic Leader Program
AETC was formed in 1942 as the Army Air Corps Flying Training Command with headquarters in Washington, D.C. Less than a year later, the headquarters moved to Fort Worth, Texas. During World War II the command provided technical and flying training at more than 600 installations, factories and institutions of higher learning. In July 1993, Air Training Command and Air University merged to form AETC. Air Education and Training Command’s mission is to “find, recruit, train and educate the Airmen the nation needs.” More than 25 million students have graduated from AETC training and education programs. For more information, visit https://www.aetc.af.mil/
About Foreign Military Sales (FMS)
FMS is the U.S. Government’s program for transferring defense articles, services, and training to our international partners and international organizations. The FMS program is funded by administrative charges to foreign purchasers and is operated at no cost to taxpayers. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) administers the FMS program for the Department of Defense (DoD). To learn more about FMS, visit www.dsca.mil/foreign-military-sales-fms.
About the City of Fort Smith
The City of Fort Smith is committed to providing high-quality, resident-focused services for the advancement of a thriving community. Our vision is to be a dynamic, business, family, and military-friendly destination that welcomes people from all over the world.
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