Retiree Appreciation Day is an annual event held at Minot AFB where military retirees can enjoy a day of fun, camaraderie, appreciation and support. This year’s event included a tour of a B-52H Stratofortress hangar, missile launch training facility and a social Q&A with senior leaders assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing.

“It’s very important for us to hold events like this for our retirees and their families,” said Abigail Kinder, 5th Bomb Wing chief of community relations. “We want them to know that our appreciation and support for them doesn’t end when they get out of the military.”

A number of supporting organizations from the local area also attended the event. These included the Ward County Veteran Services Organization, North Dakota Military Outreach, Vet Centers of North Dakota, North Dakota Job Service, Civil Air Patrol, Military and Family Readiness Center, Defense Commissary Agency, Army & Air Force Exchange Service, TRICARE and Air Force Sergeants Association.

“The supporting agencies at this event are here to provide the resources necessary for retirees and their families to thrive, whether it’s right after retirement or later in life,” said Kinder.

Submitted Photo U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Seth Mihalak, 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron operations flight chief, provides a tour of a missile launch training facility to military retirees during Retiree Appreciation Day at Minot Air Force Base on Friday, July 12. The tour allowed the military retirees to see what a modern-day missile launch facility looks like. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kyle Wilson.

Minot and the surrounding region is home to thousands of military retirees and their families, many of whom were previously stationed here. These events give current service members the opportunity to support and show appreciation to those who served before them.

“[This event] was great and the tour of the B-52 was great,” said Freddie Rios, a military retiree. “I worked with the B-52 from 1963 until I retired. It’s an old faithful, my favorite plane.”

Retirees interested in attending future retiree events can contact the 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs office.