If Airmen in the 62nd Aerial Port Squadron ever have questions about how their job in the Air Force translates into the civilian sector, Col. Bob Farkas, the unit's commander, doesn't have far to turn to show them a prime example.

Farkas simply picks up the phone and calls Tom Embleton, senior manager of FedEx Express' Seattle facility, and sends his Airmen up for a visit.

The two have built up a relationship over the years through the 62nd Airlift Wing's honorary commander program. Embleton, along with several other honorary commanders paired with units across the wing, was welcomed back for another year in the program during a ceremony March 9 at McChord Field.

"It's been beneficial because (Embleton) does something that we actually do: move high volumes of cargo," Farkas said.

Embleton, who was not present at the ceremony, routinely hosts APS Airmen at his Seattle facility, and the partnership has created a lot good feedback between the two entities.

"We usually go up early in the morning or late in the day," Farkas said. "It gives us an opportunity to see the packages come in or go out and see how they process them out to the plane and it departs, so they get to see that whole process from beginning to end. Then we take that back and say, 'How can we look at that process here in the aerial port and is there something in areas that we can improve upon?'"

Previously, the program cycled out honorary commanders every few years, but wing officials decided to let units stay with their commanders so they could build lasting relationships, said Col. Wyn Elder, 62nd Airlift Wing commander.

"We hope what we can provide to you is a better understanding of what we do here at the 62nd, what we do at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, what we do in the Air Force, and (you can) get a close, personal relationship with some of the Airmen," Elder told the group of incoming commanders.

The program encourages interaction between the honorary commanders' companies and the Airmen in the respective unit. That can include barbecues, special training events and other squadron functions.

After partnering with the Army's 2-1 Cavalry of the 4th Stryker Brigade through the Lakewood Chamber's Community Connector program, new honorary commander Melanie Schaad decided to get involved at McChord Field. Schaad, sales and events manager for the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center, was paired up with the 62nd Maintenance Operations Squadron.

"I've been wanting to be more involved with the Air Force," Schaad said.

She's most looking forward to learning about the Air Force's rank structure and how the unit operates on a day-to-day basis.

"It's going to be a learning experience for me," she said.

MOS leadership already invited Schaad and her co-workers to the unit's annual Knucklebuster Awards ceremony, and there are already plans in the works to get together at Air Expo 2012.

"I would love to get everyone in our office more involved," she said.  Other honorary commanders pairing up with McChord units included Vicky Nelson (Harborstone Credit Union), Donna Haines (CoinForce.com), Ken Luce (Luce Law Firm), Carlene Joseph (Harborstone, Honorary Command Chief), Regina McDaniel (TriWest Healthcare Alliance) and Mary Moss (Lakewood City Council).

Photo: Maj. Rawley Mims, 62nd Maintenance Operations Squadron commander, hands Melanie Schaad of the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center a pin and certificate, welcoming her as the unit’s new honorary commander during a ceremony March 9 at McChord Field.