Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise to honor four members of Alaska's military family who lost their lives in a tragic airplane accident in Anchorage last week. MAJ Michael Freyholtz and MAJ Aaron Malone were pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard's 249th Airlift Squadron. CAPT Jeffrey Hill was a pilot assigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base's 517th Airlift Squadron. And SMSgt Thomas Cicardo was a loadmaster with the Alaska Air National Guard's 249th Airlift Squadron. Last Wednesday evening, these airmen were honing their skills in a C- 17 aircraft when it went down in the woods not far from downtown Anchorage. Every Alaskan has been touched by this loss. It is a terrible tragedy for our State, where we consider Alaska's military installations extensions of our communities. Service members are part of our extended Alaskan family. Today in a large Elmendorf airplane hangar, thousands of Alaskans are gathering to mourn the loss of these brave airmen. Each of the airmen who perished on July 28th played a pivotal role in standing up C-17 operations and training in Alaska. They contributed to our Nation's defense and to the State of Alaska. Major Malone was a C-17 pilot on leave from Alaska Airlines, his place of employment, to help stand up the 249th Airlift Squadron in Alaska. Alaska was Major Malone's home State. In 2008, he transferred to the Alaska National Guard. As a highly regarded airman, he became a C-17 instructor pilot.…”