By Joey Gunning, Director of Economic Development, Greater Spokane Inc.
I recently heard that Fairchild Air Force Base (FAFB) is the #2 destination in the country for retiring military personnel.
A quick look at Lightcast’s Population Characteristics confirms that Spokane County has 54% more veterans than the national average for a region our size.
In other words, members of the military aren’t just stationed here – they’re staying here. They’re choosing Spokane to call home after service.
That doesn’t happen by accident.
Spokane’s support for the military dates back to the 1940s, when Spokane County, the City of Spokane, and the Spokane Chamber of Commerce (now Greater Spokane Inc.) raised enough funds to purchase the land that Fairchild sits on today and convinced the War Department to build an air depot there.
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Today, that legacy lives on through Forward Fairchild, a GSI-led committee that convenes business, community, and military leaders from all branches to maintain strong relationships with the base and provide advocacy support.
But it’s not all behind-the-scenes work.
Since 1938, the Spokane Lilac Festival Association has been celebrating the Spokane community, with a specific emphasis on honoring our military. This includes honoring Fairchild Air Force Base and other military personnel in the region. The annual Armed Forces Torchlight Parade features school bands, cheer and drill teams, regional festivals, community organizations, different cultures, and the proud military units of the Inland Northwest.
In May 2021, the Spokane Indians Baseball Team launched the Operation Fly Together campaign, which stems from a historic agreement between Team Fairchild and the baseball team, designed to celebrate the KC-135 tanker, build pride for the base’s critical functions, and help better the lives of Veterans from all services that have settled in the Spokane region.
The Abilene Trophy is an annual award that spotlights communities around the nation that demonstrate exceptional community support for their Air Force Base. Spokane has won the award five times (more than any other community), most recently in 2023 (the other four were in 2000, 2006, 2013, and 2017).
A statement from Colonel Chesley L. Dycus of Fairchild Air Force Base upon winning the 2023 award said:
“The backing the surrounding community provides to our Airmen and their families is crucial to our success. Our partners in Spokane are ready and willing to fight for us, allowing Team Fairchild to turn their full focus to the ongoing, complex military operations.”
And it’s not just cultural – it’s economic.
Fairchild Air Force Base is Spokane County’s largest employer, as reported in the Journal of Business 2025 Book of Lists.
A Lightcast industry report confirms that Spokane County is a hotspot for this kind of talent. Our region is 75% above the national average employment for Federal Government, Military for an area our size, and those jobs pay 9% above the national average.
Even more promising is that Military-related employment in Spokane has been steadily growing, with future projections continuing to outpace national trends. That means we’re not just a veteran-friendly community – we’re becoming an economic engine for federal and defense-related industries.
One of my favorite examples of Spokane’s military-to-civilian talent pipeline in action is SkyOne Aerospace. Back in 2020, GSI helped secure a $100,000 Working Washington grant from the state for SkyOne to support growth. SkyOne Aerospace specializes in customer-oriented repair and overhaul of instruments, avionics, electronics, mechanical units and hydraulic units of military aerospace aftermarket. They used the funds to purchase new equipment to meet expansion needs and hire additional skilled technicians with military aerospace experience.
At the time, 40% of SkyOne’s workforce were veterans and the company remains committed to hiring more, mostly from Fairchild. They understand the value of military training and discipline, and they’ve built a business model around it.
When veterans retire from service, they have choices. And they’re choosing Spokane. Because this community doesn’t just welcome them – we invest in them. Spokane has created a unique ecosystem where military service is not the end of the journey, but the beginning of a second career, a second mission, and a second home.
Fairchild may be the #2 destination for retirement – but Spokane is #1 in proving that veterans still have a place to lead, thrive, and serve.
Veterans land at Fairchild, but they take off again in Spokane.
