SAN ANTONIO – More than 175 leaders from installations across the Department of the Air Force gathered in San Antonio April 28-30 at the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center 2026 Mission Support Leadership Conference to discuss the trends, issues and solutions facing command teams supporting DAF’s power projection platforms.
Under the theme “Shouldering the Future Together!”, the leaders focused on three critical installation and mission support priorities: people, readiness and infrastructure.
“The global context we’re looking at right now only amplifies the importance of the responsibilities each and every one of you in this room has,” AFIMSC Commander Maj. Gen. Thomas Sherman said.
“Not only are you looking from the aspect of your installation, but you’re looking forward to those you’re sending out the door to conduct the mission in harm’s way.”
AFIMSC executes more than 150 centralized capabilities for DAF installations and commanders, including civil engineering, communications, contracting, financial management, logistics readiness, security forces and services programs.
With AFIMSC senior leaders, staff and subject matter experts on hand to provide insight and answers to questions or concerns from attendees, the conference featured a wide variety of topics.
“I had some very specific questions about the child development centers that I didn’t even have to ask because they covered it and I can already start planning for the future,” said Army Col. Marie Slack, 502nd Force Support Group commander at Joint Base San Antonio-Ft. Sam Houston.
“The Summit was incredibly valuable starting on day one,” she said. “We talked about the people programs and I’m Army, so I love talking people first.”
Sessions included force generation, Air Expeditionary Wing 2.0, child development centers, restoration and modernization portfolio updates; the Commercial On-Base Lodging initiative; combat support training; investment strategies, the Barracks Task Force, energy and water resilience strategies and more.
“The subject-matter experts we had here over the three days have an immense wealth of knowledge that they gave directly to these commanders,” said Chaplain Capt. Clifton Hanson, 2026 MSL project officer.
The in-person MSL was moved to spring to allow incoming commanders and senior enlisted leaders an opportunity to attend before entering their new positions.
AFIMSC holds two MSL conferences each year, one virtually and one in-person. The next virtual conference is planned for fall 2026.