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September 11, 2015 Desert Wings
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Honorary commander program prompts change of heart
by Rebecca Amber wards control tower. As she watched them monitor airways ative way to engage in the community that the Air Force
Staff writer she was impressed by the way they could direct aircraft that base is located in,” said Crabson. “To partner with mem-
were so far away from the tower and moving so rapidly. bers of the community and the base to understand each
Honorary commander Carol Crabson is the chief ex- other, learn from each other and develop ways to help
HFXWLYHRI¿FHUIRUWKH$QWHORSH9DOOH\'RPHVWLF9LROHQFH “The level of focus and concentration it takes to do that each other reach common goals...This experience truly
Council, which is called Valley Oasis. job is incredible,” she said. has made me a better person and better citizen of this
country.”
Each year, to foster positive relationships between the Her most fun memory so far has was the opportunity to sit
local community and Edwards, community leaders are in- LQWKHFRFNSLWRIDQ)DQGÀ\VHYHUDODLUFUDIWVLPXODWRUV Valley Oasis is a community base organization dedi-
ducted as honorary commanders and paired with group and cated to eliminating social and domestic violence, sexual
squadron commanders at Edwards. “I now understand that the military does so much more abuse, child abuse and homelessness through community
than go to war. They work to prevent war. They work to awareness, intervention, prevention, safe shelter and sup-
Crabson is paired with Col. Karen Cox-Dean, 412th Medi- save the lives of their personnel and in the process make portive services.
cal Group commander. incredible strides in advancing technology.”
Their programs include the 60-day shelter for domes-
Only half-way through the program, being an honorary While her perspective on the military has changed, tic violence victims, Sexual Assault Response Services,
commander has already been a “life-altering experience” Crabson’s hippie days did lead her to a career in social Calworks Outreach and legal services, and services to
for Crabson. work, helping victims of neglect and violence. For the homeless families and individuals in the Antelope Valley.
last 30 years, she has worked primarily with children who
As a teen and young adult in the 1960s and 1970s, Crab- have been sexually and physically abused, domestic vio-
son was “much to [her] parent’s dismay” a hippie. She pro- lence victims, sexual assault victims and victims of other
tested against the Vietnam War, marched for civil rights and trauma. She is also very passionate about ending bullying
for one isolated night, landed herself in jail during an illegal in schools and elsewhere.
protest.
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“I didn’t know it was illegal to protest, this was America who works at Family Advocacy. Together, they have been
after all,” she said. “I did not believe in war and did not sup- able to collaborate on ways for the 412th MDG and Val-
port people going to die for politicians agendas.” ley Oasis staff to better help military personnel and their
families when domestic violence or sexual assault occurs.
After becoming an honorary commander, her perspective
on the military has completely changed. Special training sessions allowed Valley Oasis staff to
hear how the military responds differently to military per-
“What I did not know or understand is that the people who sonnel than civilians.
signed up for the military made choices. They made choices
to do something for others and their country in a way that “My staff found it very informative and helpful,” Crab-
makes me feel my protest years were wrong,” she said. son said.
“I have developed a respect for the military and each and One of the things she learned from the 412th MDG was
every military unit that willingly places their lives on the WKDWVRPHRIWKHPHPEHUVRIWKHJURXSÀ\LQWUDLQHUDLU-
line for me.” craft in order to understand the machinery. That way, when
an accident happens, that information helps them work
Throughout the year the honorary commanders are invited with the injured pilots from a psychological perspective.
to join their commander counterparts for tours of the base.
For Crabson, one of the most insightful trips was to the Ed- “I think that this [program] is such a powerful and cre-
