Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Page S2959]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, the month of May is nationally
designated Military Appreciation Month, so named because, in the month
of May, we also observe Memorial Day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day,
and Armed Forces Day. Last week, my friend from the State of Oklahoma,
Mr. Inhofe, the distinguished chairman of the Senate Armed Services
Committee, organized a floor event around National Military
Appreciation Month. I would like to take a moment to lend my voice to
this significant commemoration.
In the State of Alaska we like to think of military appreciation
month as every month, military appreciation day as every day. Alaska is
proud to host more than 19,000 Active-Duty servicemembers, more than
4,600 members of the Reserve Component, and about 5,000 appropriated
funds civilians across all of the services. That number will grow
significantly as the Air Force begins the beddown of the F-35A Joint
Strike Fighter, at Eielson Air Force Base, its first F-35 operating
base in the Pacific Area of Responsibility.
At first blush, Alaska is a difficult place to serve. It is dark in
the winter, light all night in the summer, prone to temperature
extremes, and geographically distant from family. Some military
families who receive orders to Alaska are apprehensive at first, but
when they speak with other military families that have served in
Alaska, they come to understand that Alaskans treat our military
families like no other people, and the opportunity to live in Alaska,
while serving, is a once in a lifetime wonderful experience.
I could offer many examples of the ways in which Alaskans make life
wonderful for those who serve here. The one that is freshest is my mind
is the annual Military Appreciation Banquet in Fairbanks. It is one of
two that Alaskans put on each year. The Fairbanks banquet tends to
occur in May; the other major banquet is Salute to the Military in
Anchorage each February. Both attract senior military leaders as
keynote speakers. During each, the services honor outstanding members
from within their ranks and thank the community for its extraordinary
support.
I would like to speak to the history of the Fairbanks banquet for a
moment. It began 51 years ago--1968 to be exact--when Jim and Rosemary
Messer started small dinner in the home parties for friends in the
military; 1968 was a pretty controversial year in the Nation's history
with the country torn over our participation in the Vietnam conflict,
but the Messers were determined to show those who came from around the
country to serve in Alaska some love and home-cooking.
The idea quickly outgrew the confines of the Messer home, and the
Fairbanks Military Appreciation Banquet is its successor. The banquet
is held in the Carlson Center, which is the convention center for
Fairbanks. Capacity is about 600 people, and the banquet sells out
every year. Following in the Messer legacy, each community member buys
two tickets, one for themselves and another for a servicemember to host
at their table.
In addition to recognizing exemplary servicemembers, the Fairbanks
community recognizes one local individual each year who has done the
most to promote civilian-military relations with an award. That award
is named the Messer Award, in honor of the couple that inspired the
annual banquet.
This year, the keynote speaker was VADM Michael J. Dumont, U.S. Navy,
Deputy Commander of U.S. Northern Command. I am told he was a big hit.
Last year, for the 50th anniversary, we had Gen. Joseph Lengyel, U.S.
Air Force, Chief of the National Guard Bureau. We are grateful that our
senior leaders travel a great distance to celebrate the military
presence in Alaska's Interior, and I know that the participants are as
well.
This is an example of what we view as the golden contract between the
community and the military. Each year, Alaskans go out of their way in
big ways and small ones to make life for our servicemembers and their
families extremely comfortable. Each year, in the presence of a
distinguished senior leader, we break bread together to renew these
bonds.
I am proud of those who serve in Alaska and the Alaskans who serve
them, and I am proud that we observe military appreciation month every
month of the year.
____________________