JEFFERSON CITY – State Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla, and State Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, will introduce top Missouri military service members to the Senate Floor Thursday, March 3 as a part of Military Appreciation and Awareness Day. The event will kick-off at 8:30 a.m. in the Missouri Senate Lounge with a Joint Informational Hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs and Health Committee and the House Veterans Committee.
“It’s a great honor for the Legislature to welcome these military leaders from around the state so we can hear updates and field their questions,” Sen. Brown said. “Folks should take the opportunity to come to the Capitol and hear from the military’s top brass. Even though we have limited funds in Missouri, we can listen to the advice and counsel of our military leaders to help maximize our state’s resources to be as supportive as possible for our service men and women.”
Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission (MMPEC) Chairman Mike Dunbar said, “This annual event is dedicated to highlighting the significant contributions and sacrifices of this nation’s military service members and the importance of military and Department of Defense installations and their significant economic impact on the State of Missouri.”
Legislators will hear from commanding generals from military installations across Missouri during the hearing, including: Maj. Gen. Kent Savre, U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood; Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets, Whiteman Air Force Base; and Brig. Gen. Greg Mason, Missouri National Guard.
“We want to ensure that Missouri is as military-friendly as possible,” Sen. Pearce said. “As lawmakers, we want to know what these military leaders have learned from other states so we can improve our state and support our service members to the fullest extent.”
In addition to the joint informational hearing, MMPEC commissioners and community leaders will meet with legislators to talk about the nearly $40 billion economic impact that U.S. Department of Defense spending and related activities have on Missouri’s economy.
The Commission was established by the state of Missouri to protect, retain and enhance the present and future mission capabilities at the military posts and bases within the state.
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