HILL AIR FORCE BASE -- A lot has changed since Larry Fairbairn retired from the military more than 40 years ago.
Fairbairn, an 86-year-old Layton resident and retired Navy man, was one of many military retirees from the West region who came to Hill Air Force Base on Friday to learn how to get the most from Uncle Sam at the base's 35th annual Retiree Appreciation Day.
The annual conference was open to retirees from all branches of the military, offering veterans a chance to learn about retirement benefits, receive tours of the base and network with other military retirees.
"There are so many benefits that people can take advantage of," said Fairbairn, who retired from the Navy in 1966. "And when you've been out of the service as long as I have, a lot of things change and it helps to have some guidance."
Most retirees at the event live in the Top of Utah, but some came from out of state. Hill supports approximately 20,000 retirees and their dependents within the state of Utah, the southern portions of Idaho and Wyoming and eastern Nevada.
"We've got a roomful of retirees here, and they've come from all over the region," said Dan Petrizzo, director of retiree activities at Hill. "A lot of people don't understand that the base is here for them."
Retirees visited exhibits and displays on pharmacy services, blood pressure screenings, physical therapy, the base commissary, family support, retiree activities, and base dental and legal offices.
Fairbairn moved into Layton only 18 months ago and said it can be a difficult adjustment for military retirees looking for benefits.
"When you move into a new area, it can be hard to get used to everything, so this is good, because you can pinpoint exactly where everything is and how to get to it."
Senior leaders at Hill also held town hall-style meetings, fielding questions on topics ranging from veterans' health care to how to access the base's new fitness facility.
"There is a lot of debate with the new health care and how it affects TRICARE rights," Petrizzo said. "The cost has been a concern among some of the retirees, but Congress will be the ones who decide that."
For more information on retiree benefits available at Hill, call the Retiree Activities Offices at 801-777-5735.
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