Meet Janie Nall: Beale Air Force Base civic leader

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, CA, UNITED STATES

05.02.2024

Story by Senior Airman Alexis Pentzer 

9th Reconnaissance Wing

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From chairman of the Beale Military Liaison Council (BMLC) to Air Combat Command (ACC) civic leader, Janice “Janie” Nall has built a long career at Beale AFB and even stronger relationships with its Airmen, Guardians, and leaders.

Nall started her career at Beale when the BMLC was founded. Originally called the Sacramento Valley Military Council, BMLC used to look over all of the military bases within a small region. It was later decided that the council would focus only on Beale AFB.

Founded in 1985, BMLC is a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for programs which support Beale AFB to make a difference in the lives of the men, women and families stationed there. BMLC invested over $1,000,000 over the last 10 years to improve the quality of life for the residents of Beale AFB. Projects have included renovations for specific buildings and courtyards, the installation of exercise equipment and additional space for physical training, advocating for base housing privatization, a $14 million Child Development Center and more. BMLC actively advocates at local, state and national levels for critical initiatives and missions, such as the RQ-4 Global Hawk platform.

“I want to know [the Airmen’s] story and what's important to them,” Nall said. “It gives me a perspective on what their life was like prior to joining the Air Force, and what they are challenged by now and how we can maybe make a change in their lives.”

Although Nall was initially focused only on Beale AFB, she was nominated to become a civic leader for ACC. Going to ACC and Headquarters Air Force (HAF), Nall took the opportunity to develop relationships beyond the wing and base itself. She gained a newfound understanding of Beale's role and its impact on the wider Air Force mission. As a civic leader, Nall built a network of connections that allowed her to be a voice for the Airmen of Beale AFB.

“I think relationships are always first, it's never transactional”, Nall said. “When you first meet someone it's about who they are, not about how they can help you. It’s about hopefully making [the Airmen] feel comfortable and feel at home so when they PCS, they will leave with some good memories.”

While at ACC, Nall worked toward bringing a greater awareness of mental health into bigger discussions. She led briefings and efforts to address mental health and depression, especially to Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) groups and wings. From HAF, Nall led a working group addressing housing issues and initiatives across the Air Force which took more than six months of interviews and surveys.

Building relationships is a key skill of a civic leader. Nall used this skill to nurture relationships with leaders at Beale AFB, ACC, and HAF. Air Force leaders at all levels work to educate their civic leaders about matters beyond individual installations to bring awareness to larger challenges and accomplishments. Military leaders work with their civic leaders to engage the community in areas which impact the quality of life for the Airmen and their families.

“It's given me a perspective of the Air Force that goes beyond ISR and Beale,” said Nall. “In addition to that, it has given me the ability to talk to the community and other civic leaders and to be able to compare notes to figure out what works for everyone.”

After spending 18 years with HAF as a civic leader, Nall has since transitioned out as an emeritus. With 38 years of dedication to Beale AFB, Nall plans to continue to support Beale in a similar capacity and help improve the lives of the Airmen who live here.