April 19, 2023

Duckworth Discusses TRANSCOM Priorities, Scott Air Force Base with General Van Ovost

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] —?Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), spoke with General Jacqueline Van Ovost, Commander of U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), about many pressing issues and priorities ahead of TRANSCOM’s FY24 posture hearing. Duckworth and Van Ovost discussed the Department of Defense’s needs around sealift and how Congress can support and adequately provide resources for TRANSCOM specifically when it comes to the unique challenges posed by the Indo-Pacific region. TRANSCOM is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County, Illinois, and Duckworth has been a staunch supporter of Scott and all the tenant commands located at the base. 

“I had a productive discussion with General Van Ovost about resourcing TRANSCOM to meet their vital mission, as well as the ever-evolving landscape of contested logistics in the Indo-Pacific and how we can improve procedures with our partners and allies in the region to achieve the best outcomes,” said Duckworth. “I’m proud of all the great work happening at TRANSCOM headquarters at Scott Air Force Base and am looking forward to continuing our work on these important issues and many others.”

For years, Senator Duckworth has focused on improving our military’s logistics capabilities. During Van Ovost’s nomination hearing, she discussed the importance of enhanced mobility and logistics capabilities for the overall operational readiness of our military. In March, she met with Scott Air Force Base leadership to discuss issues important to the installation and the surrounding community. In December 2022, Duckworth announced with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) $2.5 million for the planning and design of a new Refueling Hangar Facility at Scott Air Force Base for the 126th Air Refueling Wing as a part of the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Omnibus Appropriations Act. The current hangar was constructed in 1956 and with help from this funding, a new facility can be developed to meet U.S. Department of Defense seismic, energy and fire standards. 

Duckworth is an Iraq War Veteran who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years before retiring from military service in 2014 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She is a Purple Heart recipient and one of the first handful of Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  

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