Louisiana Senator visits Barksdale

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. John Gordinier
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu toured Barksdale to speak with base leadership, Airmen and to visit installation facilities on quality-of-life issues June 2.

The senator said she visited the three largest military installations in Louisiana to demonstrate her strong support for military families and education.

During her visit, the senator toured the new housing area on Barksdale's East Reservation, dorm rooms and visited with Airmen for lunch at the Red River Dining Facility.

"I am working hard in Washington to ensure we have strong infrastructure in Louisiana," Senator Landrieu stated. "As a leader on the Appropriations Committee, I am dedicated to ensuring we have strong support for efforts that create jobs and opportunities for all our Louisiana families to include the military. I will not rest until every child in Louisiana has a top-notch education."

"The senator is very passionate about education and she has had great success in that arena," said Mrs. Melissa Carpenter, wife of retired Maj. Gen. Floyd Carpenter, former Eighth Air Force commander. "I think the primary focus of the visit to Barksdale has been education and how to improve it."

Base families need good quality of life, which includes good schools that address the specific needs of the children of Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines, the senator said. To make education successful, it takes base and community leaders working together to ensure military families have access to good schools near the bases that kids want to attend.

"Together I know we can do something meaningful here in Louisiana for our communities and our military families; I invite each one of you to join me, and the First Lady in the Joining Forces Initiative, to ensure we have strong thriving military families," Senator Landrieu said.