Grand opening on base honors nearby tribe

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sondra Escutia
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  A relationship rooted in a symbolic patch design was paid tribute during the grand opening of the 29th Attack Squadron's Heritage Room Nov. 18.

The room was opened in honor of the Mescalero Apache Tribe who, in October 2009, lended their artwork and native symbology for the squadron's unofficial patch design in correlation with the unit's nickname.

"Initially [the squadron was nicknamed] the Revenant Warriors, then we went to the Ghost Warriors," explained Capt. Gregory, 29th ATKS. "The warrior symbol for the Mescalero Native Americans is the headdress. The only time they wore it was going into battle, so we chose that as our Friday patch design."

During the grand opening event, the commander of the 29th ATKS unveiled the original artwork for the patch design which will continue to remind Heritage Room visitors of the shared legacy.

More than 50 members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe were in attendance for the unveiling, including members of the Tribal Council and its president, Mark Chino.

President Chino said he spoke for much of the tribe when he expressed his appreciation for those who serve in all branches of the U.S. military.

"I think this is a marvelous occasion and it's great for our people to interact with our service men and woman here at Holloman," he said. "It's really an exciting event for our people and I'm really excited to be a part of it."

Captain Gregory said the newly-opened Heritage Room will be a place of relaxation for members of the unit to enjoy after a day's work.

"The Heritage Room is a long-lasting tradition within the flying squadrons," he explained. "It is dedicated to the individuals of the squadron so after a flight or duty day they can go in relax and talk about that day's happenings."