At Luke Air Force Base, home to the largest fighter wing in the world, the roar of F-35s is backed by a quieter force on the ground: a civilian nonprofit that has spent decades closing the gaps the U.S. Air Force cannot legally or financially fill on its own.
Fighter Country Foundation, a Phoenix-area nonprofit, began as an effort to help keep the base open and has evolved into a sprawling network of programs, services and even construction projects aimed at improving quality of life for airmen and their families.
“Fighter Country Foundation is a nonprofit that was established to first and foremost protect Luke Air Force Base and ensure that its mission stays, and it stays open,” said Ron Sites, president and CEO. “Over the years, it’s evolved from mission sustainability to creating programs and services that support the military members and their families … even the construction of new facilities on an active-duty military installation.”…