A resolution honoring the 106th anniversary of Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the contributions of Selfridge Air National Guard Base to the military and national security of the United States.

III 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 26 Honoring the 106th anniversary of Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the contributions of Selfridge Air National Guard Base to the military and national security of the United States. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 2, 2023 Mr. PETERS (for himself and Ms. STABENOW) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services RESOLUTION Honoring the 106th anniversary of Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the contributions of Selfridge Air Na- tional Guard Base to the military and national security of the United States. Whereas Selfridge Air National Guard Base is named after Army 1st Lieutenant Thomas E. Selfridge, the first aer- ial military casualty during a demonstration flight with Orville Wright in 1908; Whereas the Army commissioned Selfridge Field in Harrison Township, Michigan, on July 1, 1917, and it is one of the first military airfields in the United States under con- tinuous service; Whereas the 332d Fighter Group of the famed Tuskegee Air- men, an all-African-American unit, moved to Selfridge VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:00 Feb 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR26.IS SR26 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 26 IS Field on March 29, 1943, and Colonel Benjamin O. Davis became the first African-American commander on October 8, 1943; Whereas, on July 1, 1971, Selfridge Field was transferred to the Michigan Air National Guard, becoming the first major Air Force base under the jurisdiction of the Michi- gan Air National Guard; Whereas, on April 1, 1996, the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard was established at Selfridge Air Na- tional Guard Base; Whereas, after the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, Selfridge Air National Guard Base became a key center for security operations to protect and secure the northern border of the United States; Whereas the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard was the 2016 recipient of the Carl A. Spaatz Award, a prestigious award given to the best flying organization in the Air National Guard, and was awarded the Meri- torious Unit Award in the same year for ‘‘outstanding devotion and exceptional performance’’; Whereas opportunities for investment in aerospace, as well as more fighter missions, will keep Selfridge Air National Guard Base successful and will contribute to a dominant Air Force and to a strong national defense; Whereas annual joint service and international Northern Strike exercises, combined with the critical manufac- turing base of the ‘‘Arsenal of Democracy’’, position the State of Michigan as an invaluable cornerstone of na- tional defense and aerospace; Whereas the State of Michigan is home to the ‘‘Arsenal of Democracy’’ along with the United States Army Tank- VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:00 Feb 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR26.IS SR26 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 26 IS automotive and Armaments Command, the United States Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center, and Selfridge Air National Guard Base; Whereas Selfridge Air National Guard Base finds itself sur- rounded by premier institutions of higher educations and with ample space and resources to become a hub of de- fense and aerospace research and innovation; Whereas the resolute support of residents of Macomb County, Michigan, and elected officials of the State of Michigan has resulted in continued investment and resources from the Federal Government for Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the defense industry in the State of Michigan; Whereas Selfridge Air National Guard Base is a source of community pride and enjoys unparalleled community sup- port; Whereas Selfridge Air National Guard Base generates hun- dreds of millions of dollars to the surrounding cities and townships of the State of Michigan and supports over 4,500 jobs; and Whereas Selfridge Air National Guard Base is a joint mili- tary base and home to many national security assets of the United States, including assets of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Department of Homeland Security: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) honors Selfridge Air National Guard Base 2 in Harrison Township, Michigan, on its 106th anni- 3 versary; 4 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:38 Feb 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR26.IS SR26 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 26 IS (2) commends the thousands of men and 1 women who have worked and trained at Selfridge 2 Air National Guard Base; 3 (3) reinforces the commitment of the military to 4 Selfridge Air National Guard Base as a facility that 5 is key to the national security of United States; 6 (4) encourages continued cooperation and dia- 7 logue with the Department of Defense in support of 8 Selfridge Air National Guard Base; and 9 (5) acknowledges the ongoing investments of 10 the State of Michigan in its defense assets and 11 workforce and continued contributions to the defense 12 of the United States. 13 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:00 Feb 03, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR26.IS SR26 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS