DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- Maj. Gen. Melissa Coburn, 22nd Air Force commander, and Col. Michael Parks, 94th Airlift Wing commander, welcomed Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin and Chief of the Air Force Reserve Lt. Gen. John Healy to Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga., Aug. 13, 2024.
Ossoff, his National Security Legislative Assistant, Jill Ricotta, and Regional Outreach Coordinator and Military and Veteran Liaison, Neal VanMarter, met with Dobbins’ leadership, as well as representatives from the Georgia Army and Air National Guard, the Navy Reserve and the Marine Corps Reserve for robust conversations about successes, challenges and future goals.
Parks highlighted the readiness of Air Force Reservists and reoptimization of the Department of the Air Force in today’s evolving security landscape during the meeting.
“Dobbins service members welcomed Senator Ossoff and USAF leadership to discuss the Wing’s recent deployment successes and talk about how we are posturing to deploy another 25% of our Reservists this year,” said Parks after the visit concluded.
He added that the immersion was a unique opportunity to preview to key leaders the upcoming changes that will optimize Dobbins’ ability to provide operational strategic depth during Great Power Competition.
“Dobbins was able to present how we will transform into a Deployable Combat Wing, enable future deployments as a 1,400 Airman unit of action, and still maintain resilient installation capacity for our Airmen and partners during periods of deployment,” Parks said. “Finally, I was able to thank our visitors for their efforts in securing our new Security Forces Squadron facility military construction and to highlight the progress in adding another partner, the Army’s 81st Readiness Division, to Dobbins.”
The visit to Dobbins capped a broader three-base tour for Ossoff, Allvin and Healy that included Robins Air Force Base, Ga., and Moody AFB, Ga., earlier in the day.
“Dobbins Air Reserve Base is critical to U.S. national security,” Ossoff said. “Georgia’s Airmen and Air Force Reservists are always on my mind.”
The Georgia senator also expressed his gratitude to Allvin for spending a full day visiting bases and meeting with service members throughout the state.