Chamber hosts November luncheon
In honor of Veteran’s Day, the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce hosted its November luncheon on an alternate schedule, Wednesday, Nov. 12, and featured United States Air Force Lt. Col. Douglas Wilson as its guest speaker.
Wilson, a Vestavia Hills resident and Major Gifts Development Officer at Samford, spoke on the topic of modern technology warfare.
Originally commissioned into duty in 1983, Wilson, now a Senior Intelligence Officer of the 117th Refueling Wing, described the evolution of technology he’s experienced, both in and out of combat zones, throughout his service.
“Today’s technology is tomorrow’s antique,” said Wilson, who’s seen new military tech come and go with high regularity over the course of 238 missions and 2,856 hours of service.
Wilson also described at length his work with the Predator drone, citing the experience as one of the most interesting points of his military career.
“It’s a lot of hours sitting in a dark room, staring at a computer, but as you begin to package intel about a target, as you are in close communication via classified chat with people working on this all over the world, it’s really pretty amazing,” he said.
Using Sept. 11 as an example, Wilson commended his fellow members of the military for their dedication.
“I was at my job that day, but by 10 a.m., I was on active duty,” he said. “That next month, I was overseas. When the military is called upon to do their job, they do it. This is the best use of taxpayer money.”
In the context of military technology, but also stressing the importance of protecting American ideals, Wilson cited ISIS, stating, “they are not undefeatable.”
He concluded with this quote from former U.S. President Ronald Reagan:
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
The Chamber will host its next monthly luncheon on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Vestavia Country Club. The program will feature a singing ensemble from Vestavia Hills High School.
Photos by Rebecca Walden and Katie Turpen.