In order to showcase steps the General Assembly is taking to promote Missouri as a military-friendly state, and to show my colleagues some of the reasons Whiteman Air Force Base (WAFB) is one of the premiere military bases in our nation, I recently organized a tour of the base for a group of seven other senators or their staff, my staff, and local community leaders.

The base is widely recognized as a home to the stealth bombers, but also housed on-site are the T-38 Talon, the A-10 Thunderbolt II, and the awe-inspiring AH-64 Apache helicopter. Three units currently make up the bulk of the flight staff at WAFB, the 509th Bomb Wing, the 442nd Fighter Wing, and the 131st Bomb Wing. Also housed at WAFB is the Army National Guard 1-135th Attack Battalion and the 20th Reconnaissance Squadron.

The group was briefed by Brigadier General Thomas Bussiere on the mission of WAFB and in particular the 509th Bomb Wing. This was followed by briefings on the 131st and the 442nd, and other important missions. We then got the chance to see, firsthand, the magnificent aircraft housed on the base. I cannot explain how exhilarating it is just to be in the presence of these powerful machines, not to mention the opportunity for our guests to sit in the cockpit of a B-2 bomber. However, as impressive as the aircraft is, even more inspirational are the men and women who are dedicated to their jobs and who perform their jobs without fail. Visiting with these service men and women has become a highlight of the bi-annual tour.

This tour, while certainly always interesting and educational, serves multiple purposes. It becomes clear that WAFB is an enormous asset to the local and state economy. The attendees also learn much more about the daily operations of such a large military installation while also seeing firsthand how important it is that we make Missouri as military-friendly a state as possible. In the last few legislative sessions, the General Assembly has passed a number of measures to continue the push toward a more military-friendly position.

During the 2013 session, Senate Bill 110, Senate Bill 117 and House Bill 148 each contain similar provisions relating to child custody and visitation rights for both deploying and deployed military personnel. House Bill 1731 passed the General Assembly in 2012, allowing our state’s veterans’ homes and cemeteries to become fully funded with a dedicated funding source.

I am already looking forward to planning future events and showing officials the many facets of the WAFB and what benefits it provides to the 21st District and our state.