View Photo Gallery Celebrate Barksdale was initiated by the MAC and embraced by both Chambers of Commerce to express the community’s collective appreciation to the men and women who serve while stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base. Our annual Celebrate Barksdale picnic emphasizes outreach to spouses and children.
Celebrate Barksdale Family Cookout
Date: October 2024
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR “CELEBRATE BARKSDALE”
Please join your fellow MAC members and volunteer to work at “Celebrate Barksdale”. This is our annual way of extending a great big THANK YOU to all the men, women and their family members serving Barksdale. We need your help with cooking and serving hot dogs, hamburgers and all the trimmings to our guests. In addition to showing our appreciation to Barksdale Team Members and their families, working at “Celebrate Barksdale” is a terrific way to meet other MAC members, interact with Base personnel and enjoy a Friday outside in October weather.
The four major areas of work are listed below along with the responsible Committee Chair. If you can work and are interested in serving in a particular area, please contact the committee chair directly; otherwise contact John David Person, Vice President Celebrate Barksdale or Shelley Cohen, Executive Director, and we will work you into a slot. Please let us know your availability when signing up to work.
Daryl Pruitt dpruitt@citizensnb.com | cell 318-469-0758 Cooking Committee - Responsible for cooking and delivering food to serving tent.
Brad Gosslee bgosslee@cbgosslee.com | cell 318-272-0822 Tent Committee - Responsible for food serving process and routine cleaning of dining tables.
Dave Lay davidljlay@yahoo.com | cell 318-426-1221 Refreshments Committee - Responsible for icing and distributing soft drinks/water; over-sight on Beer distribution.
Robert Tibi ExecutiveDirector@sbmilitaryaffairs.com | Logistics Committee - Responsible for ordering supplies, coordinating electrical needs, coordinating stage/children’s activities and organizing trash details.
John David Person Vice President Celebrate Barksdale - Coordinates all aspects of event.
Celebrate Barksdale Golf Tournament
Date: TBA
SPONSORSHIPS:
Corporate Sponsorship $500 • Your corporation’s logo will be proudly displayed on a banner at the Golf Course • This covers you, your guest and two military players, teams to be assigned
Four Person Team $400 • This covers you, your guest and two military players, teams to be assigned
Hole Sponsor $100 • A sign with your name will be proudly displayed on a tee box
State Fontaine - Chairman
Contact Robert Tibi @ ExecutiveDirector@sbmilitaryaffairs.com
PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT “ BRIGHT HOLIDAY”
"I would like to personally thank you all not solely for providing a service to me, but for also being an organization that is willing to provide to the needs of all military personnel. I am extremely grateful that in the stage that our current world is in, that there are still individuals who have a genuine heart to care for others. What you do behind the scenes is of great importance and impact to our everyday lives and it doesn't go unnoticed. Because of your act of kindness I am able to see my family which I have not seen for a year. Little new born cousins to my mother and brother and aunts, uncles, uncles and cousins. Family is a key element to the work that not only I perform, but each Airman (military as well as civilian) performs day in and day out. I am forever thankful for the consideration and confirmation of the council. I hop each member of the council has an extremely blessed Christmas and happy New Years! Enjoy your families and thank you again for gifting me the opportunity to enjoy my family!"
Policy Handbook | Questionnaire | Host Family Waiver
The Military Affairs Council and Barksdale Air Force Base are happy to introduce the ADOPT AN AIRMAN PROGRAM (Roots for Boots) here in Shreveport-Bossier. This Barksdale Airmen Sponsor Program (BASP) offers select community leaders a unique and rewarding opportunity to provide Airmen a home-away-from home during their first assignment in the military. It also offers community leaders the opportunity to enter Barksdale Air Force Base and meet first-hand our fine young Air Force men and women and, the air and space leaders of tomorrow. The BASP is designed to provide Airmen with an avenue to form friendships and gather support beyond the formal work environment. If you can remember leaving behind the comfort and security of your parents’ home, then you will understand the needs of the young men and women in the BASP. Rigorous military standards can tax even the best of spirits, producing feelings of great stress to make the grade in some Airmen, and in others, moments of loneliness, homesickness and doubt. The official relationship lasts for the duration of time that the Airman is assigned to Barksdale AFB, or when one of the two parties decides to terminate the relationship. The goal of the program is to have individuals from the community serve as the Airman’s mentor, friend, and advisor, providing a caring environment to relax away from the pressures of work and future deployments. Participants are also in the position to serve as a positive adult role model helping Airmen understand their role as a career Air Force Airman and reinforcing positive social values. This rewarding program currently exists at other military installations and has been highly successful. The BASP will be run by the Military Affairs Council (MAC) of Shreveport-Bossier. The MAC is a 501c3 non-profit with a history of service and ties to Barksdale AFB. We, through the BASP, will attempt to match host families with Airmen who share the same basic characteristics. Airmen can request “by name” host families. If you have the desire and commitment to make a difference in a young Airman’s life, this is the program for you! Kem Smelser will serve as the Committee Chair/Program Manager for the Barksdale Sponsor Program. If you interested in being involved in the program or have questions, contact him at kem_smelser@yahoo.com or 318 208-2386.
View Photo Gallery As you may know, the effects of federal budget cuts and Sequestration have fallen disproportionately on the backs of the Armed Forces, and the United State Air Force and Barksdale Air Force Base are currently living through significant budget cuts. Civilian Department of Defense employees are being furloughed and operational flying hours and training have been significantly reduced. At one point, Tuition Assistance for continuing education had been discontinued, and while this program was recently reinstated by congress, numerous Airmen and Officers were required to pay their own tuition during the period when there was no Tuition Assistance in place. As the MAC became aware of the hiatus in the Tuition Assistance program, we began to explore ways to help soften the financial blow for some of the Airmen who found themselves covering their own tuition expenses during the interruption in Tuition Assistance. The MAC embraced the opportunity to be of assistance to the men and women of Barksdale and made a pledge of $100,000 to support a multi-year MAC Scholarship Program on base. A five-year program has been developed which will provide $1,000 scholarships to 20 deserving Airmen each year. Scholarship applications will be distributed by the base each spring, and a committee of MAC members will review the applications and select the scholarship winners each June. If you are interested in supporting our scholarship program, please contact our Executive Director, Robert Tibi at ExecutiveDirector@sbmilitaryaffairs.com.
2024 Annual Shreveport-Bossier Military Affairs Council Scholarship Application Undergraduate Degree
Application due date: 14 June 2024
PURPOSE
The Shreveport-Bossier Military Affairs Council (MAC) Scholarship Fund was established in 2013. The mission of the scholarship is to provide financial assistance to individuals enrolled for undergraduate study in community colleges, colleges, and universities. The MAC Scholarship principally targets Active Duty Air Force members stationed at Barksdale AFB, but the program is also open to Air Force Reserve members assigned to Barksdale AFB. Scholarships are awarded annually provided funds are available.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
The Shreveport-Bossier MAC awards scholarships on the basis of a comprehensive process. Scholarship recipients are selected based on the following criteria: Academic Accomplishments, Academic & Professional Goals, Community Service, Demonstrated Leadership Potential, and Financial Need. The Shreveport-Bossier MAC pays $1,000 scholarship funds directly to the recipient upon proof of enrollment in an accredited community college or university. Scholarships are awarded each year in June. The Shreveport-Bossier MAC scholarships are awarded without regard to race, color, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. The number of scholarships awarded is based upon the availability of funds and additional qualifying criteria.
PREREQUISITES
- Applicants must have completed high school successfully with a minimum unweighted GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
- Applicants must complete and submit a Scholarship Application by 14 June 2024
- Scholarship recipients will receive their check upon proof of enrollment in a post-secondary program at an accredited community college or university.
INSTRUCTIONS
- If any question does not apply to you in this application please put N/A in the space.
- Type or print legibly. Illegible applications will be returned to you.
- Applications must be mailed by the deadline. Emailed applications will not be accepted.
- You will be notified by phone, email or mail in mid July regarding the status of your application.
- If you have any questions about the application, please email ExecutiveDirector@sbmilitaryaffairs.com.
Application Process
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANTS MUST PROVIDE:
- Completed application form.
- Proof of acceptance at an accredited community college or university for post-secondary studies.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
- Award notification will be given by end of July 2024.
- Award amounts will be distributed in August 2024. Further details TBD.
Please mail applications to:
Shreveport-Bossier Military Affairs Council
Attn: Scholarship Program
PO Box 1661
Shreveport, LA 71165
Do you have questions?
Please email ExecutiveDirector@sbmilitaryaffairs.com
