Honoring the 108th anniversary of Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the contributions of Selfridge Air National Guard Base to the Armed Forces and national security of the United States.

Honoring the 108th anniversary of Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the contributions of Selfridge Air National Guard Base to the Armed Forces and national security of the United States.

Whereas Selfridge Air National Guard Base is named after Army 1st Lieutenant Thomas E. Selfridge, the first aerial 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 oldest military airfields in the United States still in use;

Whereas the 332d Fighter Group of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, an all-African-American unit, moved to Selfridge 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 installation under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Air National Guard;

Whereas, on April 1, 1996, the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard was established at Selfridge Air National 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 Meritorious 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 manufacturing base of the “Arsenal of Democracy”, position the State of Michigan as an invaluable cornerstone of national defense and aerospace;

Whereas the State of Michigan is home to the “Arsenal of Democracy” along with the United States Army Tank-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 surrounded by premier institutions of higher education and with ample space and resources to become a hub of defense 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 support;

Whereas Selfridge Air National Guard Base generates hundreds of millions of dollars to the surrounding cities and townships of the State of Michigan and supports over 4,500 jobs;

Whereas Selfridge Air National Guard Base is a joint military installation and home to many national security assets of the United States, including assets of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard;

Whereas, on January 12, 2024, Selfridge Air National Guard Base was selected by the United States Air Force for a beddown of 12 KC–46A Pegasus tanker aircraft; and

Whereas Selfridge Air National Guard Base provides a strategic location for northern border security and homeland defense in response to any threats coming from the north through Canada and the Great Lakes region: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) honors Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township, Michigan, on its 108th anniversary;

(2) commends the thousands of men and women who have worked and trained at Selfridge Air National Guard Base;

(3) reinforces the commitment of the Armed Forces to Selfridge Air National Guard Base as a facility that is key to the national security of United States;

(4) encourages continued cooperation and dialogue with the Department of Defense in support of Selfridge Air National Guard Base; and

(5) acknowledges the ongoing investments of the State of Michigan in its defense assets and workforce and continued contributions to the defense of the United States.