by Ken Hackman
I was saddened to get the news of Jim Elmer’s passing on July 14, 2020. He was a good man who I remember fondly as our AAVS Commander, he was a caring supportive man with high principles, integrity, a great Leader and a good friend. I had sent him an electronic birthday card on June 30, his 86th birthday. I followed up with a phone call to Ruth a week later and she told me Jim was in the hospital. I was shocked when a few days later I heard of his passing. My heartfelt sympathies to Ruth and his family and friends
I have some memories of this remarkable man: Col Elmer was one of 14 commanders that I served under during my 40 years with the command. On getting the job he felt he was, “one of the luckiest people alive” We in AAVS were lucky and fortunate to have him as the Boss for over six years in the mid 1980s. He was not just the Commander; he was a Leader. Although his Air Force career background did not include any audiovisual/visual information experience, he saw his role as our leader/evangelist as the one, as he told his staff, “You’ll never see me carry a camera – I don’t intend to compete with the best in the Air Force”!
Under his command AAVS grew to 76 units worldwide and a reputation as the premier audiovisual organization in the Dept. of Defense. AAVS received three Outstanding Unit Awards but what was most memorable for him was when the AAVS enlisted members presented him with the Order of the Sword.
I considered he and Ruth as good friends before and after he retired. They stayed active and were big supporters of our annual Combat Camera reunions. He will be missed. Thank you for all your service Jim and Rest in Peace my friend…. Ken
Colonel Elmer’s passing is very sad news.
Colonel Elmer was my commander when I came on active duty in 1985. He was very much respected by folks in the command, and was very much supportive of newcomers to the unit.
I remember participating an effort to document in a cross country airdrop mission with the Army. It was an out-and-back mission to Pope AFB. The drop was successful and a tremendous learning experience for me. But what I remember most, was Colonel Elmer greeting us on our return to Norton, on the flight line at what must have been 0300. He could have been comfortably asleep at home. Instead, he made sure his returning team was ok, and thanked us for our efforts.
Truely, he was a great leader.
My deepest condolences to his family. His was a life well lived, and his passing is a loss to us all.
Very well stated