On Tuesday, the Alabama Legislature held a rare joint session of the House and Senate to honor America’s military and the role that the Armed Forces play in the state’s economy, future, and way of life.
“It is an honor to welcome so many who served and served the state in the State House and served our country for today’s military day,” said Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville).
“I truly believe that if you were born in this great country, you have won the lottery. America is the land of the free only because of the home of the brave.”
“The men and women put their lives on the line to defend our way of life,” said Ledbetter.
“In Alabama we are truly blessed because we have five active bases with almost 13,000 active-duty servicemen, with 6,500 active duty spouses, 14,000 active duty children, and 24.000 National Guard and reserve members, and almost 400,000 veterans who call Alabama home. Every Air Force who graduated has graduate in Montgomery at our university at Maxwell Air Force base, and every Army aviator was trained in Fort Novasel in the Wiregrass.”
“We are as military friendly as it gets in our great state and I am committed to ensuring that it stays that way in the future,” said Ledbetter. “We celebrate those who serve in our military.”
“Alabama has the nation’s oldest and longest running Veterans Day parade in Birmingham, Alabama,” said Alabama Senate Pro Tem Greg Reed (R-Jasper). “Alabama has 33 Medal of Honor recipients.”
“The men and women who serve in our nation’s military are the heartbeat that makes the United States of America the greatest country in the world,” said Reed. “We all have someone who has served, someone who has worn the uniform.”
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“We are amongst heroes today that are doing what my uncle did serving in the military,” said Reed. “I want to say thank you to all who served and are serving in our military today.”
State Sen. Andrew Jones (R-Centre) is the Chairman of the Military Veterans and Public Safety Committee in the Senate.
“Our committee has been very busy this year supporting our military,” said Chairman Jones. “It is amazing how much the State of Alabama has to offer the military and veterans. It is amazing to think about the potential and our committee is going to fight to protect that.”
Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville) chairs the House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
“Without the military what are we as a country? We do not exist” said Chairman Oliver. “All of our freedoms we owe to our military.”
Oliver is a retired Army aviator and the father of two active-duty service members.
“Our job as a committee is to actually make Alabama the best place for a military person to retire or to live,” said Oliver. “I think we are making a lot of progress.”
Oliver said lawmakers are working on two initiatives: Placing a Veterans Court in every circuit in the state and a veteran-focused mental health initiative.
Air Force General Heath Collins is the Director of the Missile Defense Agency.
“I am truly honored to be here today to address this joint session,” said Gen. Collins. “I also want to extend my gratitude to all of you distinguished members of the Alabama Senate and the Alabama House of Representatives for all of the legislation that you have passed and that you are going to pass in support of our servicemembers, our veterans, our families, and our communities.”
“I am humbled and honored by our mission to provide the layered missile defenses that protect our United States,” said Gen. Collins. “The Von Braun complex on Redstone Arsenal is the hub of missile defense agency operations, our largest of four major MDA locations we have around the nation. It is the center of gravity for a critical mission.”
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“The Redstone communities have been longtime champions of our armed forces and have never been afraid to champion innovation,” said Collins. “In return, I assure you that we have you covered.”
Gen. David Pritchett, head of the Alabama National Guard, also addressed the Legislature.
“When you look at the Department of Defense it is very difficult to recruit for any branch of the Armed Forces,” said Gen. Pritchett. “The National Guard met our goal.”
Pritchett said that the Alabama Guard have 500 more than the 10,000 they have slots for.
Pritchett said that the Guard in unit in Birmingham flies that KC-135, the newest of which was built in 1963. Pritchett said that the next fight is to get that unit the KC46 to replace those aging refueling tankers.
“Alabama has a significant number of soldiers serving on the southwest border,” Pritchett said.
Col. Alan Richardson is the departing commander of the Maxwell Air Force Base.
“We are proud to have raised our family here,” said Richardson. “We are in the fight for you every day and we are very proud that you are in the fight for us.”
Colonel Richardson invited everyone present to the airshow that will be as the base this weekend as well as the STEM expo.
Richardson said “we are ready” for the next challenge in defense which is great power competition.
“It is 100% true that our enemies do not fear old Colonels like me, they fear communities like you,” Col. Richardson said.
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