Arizona lawmaker is only the second elected official from the state to receive prestigious award
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ strong support of the Arizona National Guard will be recognized Saturday, when she travels to Nashville to receive an award from the National Guard Association of the United States.
Giffords, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, will be presented with the honor before more than 4,000 active and retired National Guard members at the association’s 131st conference in the Tennessee capital.
The Arizona lawmaker has been a strong advocate for the National Guard since before her election to the state Legislature in 2000. As a businesswoman, Giffords served on the Minuteman Committee, the civilian support group for the Tucson-based 162nd Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard. Last year, she succeeded in persuading the U.S. Air Force to keep an F-16 fighter jet maintenance facility in Tucson, a decision that saved more than 200 jobs from leaving the area.
Giffords will receive the Charles Dick Medal of Merit, an award given only to elected representatives in state and federal governments. The award acknowledges individuals who have demonstrated positive and lasting support for the National Guard over an extended period of time.
The congresswoman is the first federally elected official from Arizona to receive the award. State Sen. Jim Waring of Phoenix received it in 2008. Giffords and Waring served together in the Legislature.
Past recipients include Sens. Mitch McConnell, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Carl Levin and Joe Lieberman, as well as former Sens. Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Giffords is among seven officials receiving the award this year. The others are Gov. Brad Henry of Oklahoma, Gov. John Lynch of New Hampshire, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, U.S. Rep. Steve Israel of New York, U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota and state Rep. Jean Doerge of Louisiana.
Among the attendees at the Nashville conference will be numerous National Guard officials from Arizona. They include Col. Gregory Stroud, commander of the 162nd Fighter Wing, and Maj. Gen. Hugo Salazar, the Adjutant General the Arizona National Guard.