The commander of the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos said this week he is making progress both in creating change at the base and getting to know the people and the communities around this massive military installation.
The event was sponsored by the Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce and more than 60 people gathered for a mixer this past week on the patio of “Fiddlers Green,” the base’s pub.
“Thank you so much everyone for coming tonight,” said Chamber Co-President Meryl Cohn. “It’s so exciting to have an event on the base,” she said, noting that “it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to do this.”
Cohn introduced Lt. Col. Dan Fox, the base commander, who was there personally greeting the guests and welcoming the business community members to the base.
“I am here because this was the assignment that I was given,” said Fox, “and I couldn’t be happier about it, because it gives me an opportunity to learn a lot about this type of organization, what we call at a different level. civil-military relations,” said Fox.
“In the military, I get the opportunity to advise the national command authority about how they should employ our military forces against the common enemy.
“In this civilian-military interaction, I get the opportunity to engage on our base and speak the priorities of my bosses in Sacramento out to the community so that I can solicit your input on how we can better serve and work together,” he told the group.
Under the brisk California sun, shaded a bit by a couple of palm trees on the base, he said “I’m a California National Guardsman and I’ve been one since just before September 11 of 2001.”
“I’ve done different tours around the National Guard up and down the state of California, out to Washington DC, back to California, back to DC, etc.
In essence, he said, “I’m just another National Guardsman as far as it goes, here to exploit the opportunity to learn, as any good commander should be striving to be a good commander.”
“We’re doing good things, I hope, at least that’s what I’m being told,” the commander told the Chamber members, “and I do appreciate it. I challenge anybody that has a different opinion to reach out to me directly, or indirectly, however, you want to do it.”
“It’s always nice to hear that I’m doing a good job,” he said. “I want you to understand, and more importantly, believe that it is not me. It’s the people that I have the honor to lead. It’s the people I have the honor to serve with,” said Fox.
Fox said he keeps a suggestion box on his desk.
“You want something done? I will look into it. Some things, I can do; and some things I can’t do. Back to what I said when I first got here. I believe in win-win. I believe that we are all better off together,” Fox said.
Fox, a California native, was reassigned as Commander of the Joint Forces Training Base from his last assignment in the Pentagon. He has been very vocal and outspoken about the part of his current mission as Commander is to rebuild community relations between JFTB and the surrounding communities.
More than once, Lt. Colonel Fox invited the visiting Chamber members to knock on his door with ideas for collaboration.
“When I was a congressional aide, we believed that there is no such thing as a bad idea or any idea that’s too stupid. And that’s true. If you have an idea, I want to hear about it. If you think that we can be better partners. I would love to hear about it. If it’s feasible and legal, we will figure out how to make it work,” he said to the Chamber.
“For example, you guys are here I’m happy about that you’re here on the base you’re putting money into my what’s called a non-appropriated fund which is that hotel there functions on what it generates you guys are kind enough to come here and let me exploit that,” said Fox.
Fox gave a real-world example of working with Los Al Council member Emily Hibard whose Highlands neighborhood touches the base’s western boundary.
“I have a flood control channel problem. I am aware of it and I am getting that feedback. ‘When are you going to fix this,’” Fox said he is asked.
“My excuse? It’s an explanation but an excuse is that I work at the speed of government. All of your great ideas that I look forward to profiting from work at the speed of government,” Fox explained.
“I would like to think I’m a ramrod for in increasing the speed of government but one of my recent experiences I had was getting a definition approved by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs took five years. I want to do better than that.”
“I will always take your phone call,” he said, “and I will do whatever I can to get it addressed. “As fast as I can make the government work, I promise you, we will do it.”
