New 'hub' at Offutt Air Force Base, the first of its kind, aims to keep military vets in Nebraska
The dining hall on Offutt Air Force Base is closing for a year for renovation, which will bring new food options. It will then be open to everyone on base, including civilians and retirees - not just active duty airmen. Photographed in Bellevue on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024.
Each year, hundreds of service members wrap up their military careers at Offutt Air Force Base and leave Nebraska for good.
Gov. Jim Pillen would like to see more of them stick around.
Last week, he and several business, military and veteran leaders wielded a giant pair of scissors to cut a ceremonial ribbon on the first-of-its-kind Nebraska Resource Center, in the Base Exchange building at Offutt. About 75 people attended.
"We know our community is stronger when the people who leave Offutt don't leave the community," said Heath Mello, director of the Greater Omaha Chamber.
Pillen noted many service members assigned to the base come to Nebraska not expecting to like it.
"Almost everyone here never wanted to be stationed at Offutt. But once you get here, you don't want to get off it," Pillen said, employing a favorite local pun.
The Base Exchange is the shopping hub of any large military base, featuring a department store similar to a Wal-Mart or Target store.
It's open only to service members and retirees with military IDs, and all items are tax-free. There also are fast-food restaurants, shops and kiosks.
But never before, anywhere, a resource center like this one.
The storefront office, a few steps from Popeye's and Starbucks, has a living room-like waiting area, televisions and magazines, desks with computer terminals, and posters celebrating Nebraska and the military. Veteran license plates decorate a wall.
A display features pamphlets touting not only VA services and nonprofits serving veterans, but also Nebraska real estate, parks, lakes and tourist attractions. Service members or spouses can get help finding a job or building a resumé.
"This is a hub, like a Rolodex," said John Hilgert, director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs. "Whatever question someone has in our community, they'll be able to get the information here."
The center is the result of a partnership involving the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Greater Omaha Chamber, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Air Force.
The idea has been in the works for almost 10 years. But Hilgert said it wasn't easy to get so many organizations working together to get it open.
"There's no way to do what we just did," he said. "What you see here today is unique."
Col. Mark Howard, the 55th Wing commander, described the center as "something foundational you can't get anywhere else."
"In the past, we had limited opportunity to hear about these benefits," he said. "This is a big deal. You come here to the BX, and bam! There, you've got it."
Krystal Salisbury-Hendricks, a state veteran service officer, staffs the center 40 hours a week. It actually opened to drop-in visitors Sept. 9.
"It's been steady the whole time we've been open," she said. "I'm constantly busy. And I'm glad I am."
