Los Angeles Air Force Base hosts the Defense Orientation Conference Association (DOCA)

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On March 28, Los Angeles Air Force Base hosted an event in recognition of the Defense Orientation Conference Association’s donation to the Friends of the Airman & Family Readiness Center (A&FRC). Nearly 50 DOCA members were on hand for the presentation and to learn more about Space Systems Command’s mission.

The non-profit organization was welcomed by Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein, commander of SSC, Lt. Col. Brian Vance, Los Angeles Garrison deputy commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Justin Stoltfuz, LAG’s senior enlisted leader.

The event opened with remarks from Vance who shared some history of LA Garrison.

“The term ‘garrison’ gets confused with locations but we’re actually a unit on LA AFB. Once known as the 61^st Air Base Group, which participated in NATO missions such as the Berlin Airlift and Normandy, the LAG re-designation as Space Base Delta is forthcoming. As you can imagine, we are building the rocket as we launch it.”

DOCA members met with service members, swapped stories, and presented a $5,000 donation to a Friends of the A&FRC representative.

“In 1948, members invested in morale, recreation, and welfare programs and we have been ever since,” said DOCA President Garry Hubert. “Aside from the COVID-19 slowdown, we’re here to do it again.”

The monetary donation will help the A&FRC provide vital support and resources for service members, families, retirees, and civilians.

Guests also received a brief from SSC leadership on current threats and challenges in space and how SSC is countering those threats while delivering sustainable joint space warfighting capabilities. DOCA visitors also attended a STEM outreach briefing and rocket demonstration in addition to a guided tour of SSC’s historical space system displays.

DOCA is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to continued education in defense and national security affairs. By focusing on issues and challenges in the areas of defense, foreign policy, and national security, the organization aims to facilitate heightened awareness. This awareness helps highlight how our military forces contribute to the safety and security of the U.S. and its allies, globally. The organization engages directly with representatives of the armed forces and government officials at military bases and embassies around the world. It also uses the inclusion of business and civic leaders to provide a direct conduit of information to local communities. By interacting formally and informally with all levels of governmental and civil leadership, the organization aims to accomplish its objectives to return home and share gathered information with their respective communities. Together, these strategies enhance public understanding of the vital roles and capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces.

LA AFB is home to Space Systems Command and the Los Angeles Garrison. SSC prioritizes developing, delivering, and driving space capabilities to enhance and protect the nation and its allied partners. SSC develops resilient, diverse, balanced, and technologically fluent service members and civilians. This development stage is crucial to maintaining cost effectiveness, sustainability, and delivering cutting-edge space systems to continue the U.S. Armed Forces advantage within the space domain. Finally, SSC drives innovative thoughts and best practices (‘fast fail, fast learn’) in an industry rife with ever-increasing threats, disruptions, and adversarial progression.