Award-winning volunteer, spouse leaves Holloman

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Heather Stanton
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
One of Holloman's award-winning volunteers and spouses will be leaving as her husband retires soon. 

Mrs. Doris Lankford, wife of Master Sgt. Mark Lankford, 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron, has done many things for Holloman since her arrival in 1998. 

She began volunteering at the Airman and Family Readiness Center, then Family Support Center, working the loan closet just after arriving at Holloman. 

The loan closet is where Airmen new to Holloman could borrow household items for a few weeks until they got their own, said Ms. Lankford. 

Ms. Lankford also found volunteers to make the layettes for the Bundles for Babies, which is a free bundle of baby necessities, said Ms. Amy Koehne, AFRC. "She would recruit and train volunteers and track their hours." 

Not only has Ms. Lankford logged more than 18,000 hours of volunteer work at the AFRC, she has also been the Holloman Enlisted Spouse Club president for many years. 

"I helped resurrect the HESC in 1999," said Ms. Lankford. "We worked with wing leadership to start social fundraisers, community involvements and scholarships. We also took over the Airmen's Attic." 

Ms. Lankford has helped coordinate nearly five locations changes of the Airmen's Attic. 

For each move, she recruited volunteers and helped fixed up the building, said Ms. Koehne. 

"The Airmen's Attic is a needs-based service to provide household goods to Airmen E-6 and below for free," said Ms. Lankford. 

Also along with the HESC, Ms. Lankford participated in the annual cookie drive by making 75 to 100 dozen cookies for Airmen living in the dorms every year. 

Throughout her time at Holloman, Ms. Lankford has volunteered more than 26,000 hours of her time, which has won her some prestigious awards. 

"I was awarded the Veteran of Foreign Wars Air Force Volunteer of the Year Award for 2006, the Volunteer Excellence Award for Holloman, which is a once in a lifetime award, and the Joan Orr Air Force Spouse of the Year Award for 2006," she said. "The one that meant the most was the Air Force Spouse of the Year because it is the highest honor an Air Force spouse can achieve." 

In March of this year, Ms. Lankford traveled to Washington D.C. to be recognized for her VFW and Joan Orr awards. 

Also in 2002 and 2005, Ms. Lankford won the Alamogordo Woman of Merit Award. 

"I enjoy volunteering and being able to make a difference," she said. "Working at the AFRC has been awesome. I have met great people and have been able to attend training classes with my coworkers to build a resumé." 

Now that her husband is retiring after 21 years, they are moving to San Diego, Calif., along with their three daughters. She hopes to work administration at the San Diego Zoo. 

"It is unparalleled volunteer service," said Ms. Lenn Furrow, AFRC director. "I have never heard of anybody doing as much as Doris. She has been an ambassador for us (AFRC), Holloman and the Air Force. She is simply outstanding."