New city manager gets first-look at Peterson

Col. Jay Raymond, 21st Space Wing commander (left), provides a wing mission brief to Dr. Penelope Culbreth-Graft April 24 during a visit to Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Dr. Culbreth-Graft, who recently became the new Colorado Springs city manager, was introduced to the base and its mission to gain a better understanding of how the city and Peterson work together. The doctor was also introduced to Peterson’s BluePrint-2050 development plan and was provided a tour of the installation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rob Bussard)

New city manager gets first-look at Peterson

Dr. Penelope Culbreth-Graft (left), Colorado Springs city manager, discusses changes within the 21st Medical Group with Col. Mark Allen, group commander, April 24 during a visit to Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Dr. Culbreth-Graft, who recently became the new manager of the city, was introduced to the base and its mission to gain a better understanding of how the city and Peterson work together. The doctor was also introduced to Peterson’s BluePrint-2050 development plan and was provided a tour of the installation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rob Bussard)

New city manager gets first-look at Peterson

Staff Sgt. Stacey Haga, 21st Space Wing Public Affairs (left), gives an informational base guide to Dr. Penelope Culbreth-Graft April 24 at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Dr. Culbreth-Graft, who recently became the new Colorado Springs city manager, was introduced to the base and its mission to gain a better understanding of how the city and Peterson work together. The doctor was also introduced to Peterson’s BluePrint-2050 development plan and was provided a tour of the installation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rob Bussard)

New city manager gets first-look at Peterson

Jeff Bohn, 21st Space Wing Public Affairs officer (right), discusses issues affecting Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., with Dr. Penelope Culbreth-Graft April 24. Dr. Culbreth-Graft, who recently became the new Colorado Springs city manager, was introduced to the base and its mission to gain a better understanding of how the city and Peterson work together. The doctor was also introduced to Peterson’s BluePrint-2050 development plan and was provided a tour of the installation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rob Bussard)

City manager visits Peterson

Published April 29, 2008
By Corey Dahl
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The new Colorado Springs city manager visited Peterson April 24 to speak with base leaders and take her first tour of the base.

Just weeks after Doctor Penelope Culbreth-Graft stepped into the city manager position in January, she was already calling 21st Space Wing leadership good wingmen.

And being a good wingman is just the type of relationship the doctor, who previously was a city administrator in Huntington Beach, Calif., would like to see continue between Peterson and Colorado Springs. Doctor Culbreth-Graft said she's looking forward to working with Peterson on issues that affect both the base and the city.

"I'd like to see us continue to build on our relationship," she said. "And I think it will continue to be a positive one."

Dr. Culbreth-Graft said she was impressed by everything she saw on Peterson - the grounds, the people, the missions. The base seems to live up to its mission of providing "flawless" operations, she said.

"The whole notion of a flawless organization, when you first hear it, is just outrageous," she said. "You don't think it's possible. But when you step on the base, you really get that impression."

Col. Jay Raymond, 21st SW commander, kicked off the visit with a wing mission briefing to help educate Dr. Culbreth-Graft on how the 21st SW provides flawless space surveillance to the U.S. and its allies. After the brief, Colonel Raymond echoed the city manager's comments on the positive relationship the base maintains with the city of Colorado Springs.

"Having Dr. Culbreth-Graft as our guest at Peterson was an absolute delight," the colonel said. "We look forward to continuing our mutual, positive relationship with her and the city now and into the future."

Dr. Culbreth-Graft said the city will continue to work closely with Peterson on growth and encroachment issues and will also work to improve city services for residents, including Airmen and their families. In the coming months, she and the city council will be working on issues such as improving struggling urban areas, bettering mass transit and transportation, and making sure servicemembers returning from the war zone are well cared for.

The goal is to make sure all city residents have their needs met, Dr. Culbreth-Graft said. That includes members of the military community, who Dr. Culbreth-Graft said are owed a debt of gratitude for their service.

"Not just as a city manager, but as a citizen, I want to just say that I appreciate everything our military members are doing for us," she said. "We have no clue as to the extent of the sacrifices that our military gives us. It's protecting us from threats that we will never know we've been protected from, and I am so grateful for that."