An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

127th Wing salutes veterans

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Dan Heaton
  • 127th Wing Public Affairs
Michigan Airmen will be engaging in several events to help honor America's veterans during the national Veterans Day holiday.

Several senior leaders from the 127th Wing, including the wing commander, Brig. Gen. John D. Slocum, will be speaking at schools or civic organizations on Tuesday, Nov. 11.

In a Veterans Day message to the wing, Slocum thanked the Airmen at Selfridge Air National Guard Base for their "outstanding and unselfish service to our country and to Michigan."

"I would also like to thank your families and friends for supporting you in making a tremendous difference in people's lives in so many ways," Slocum said. "Your time, effort, and talents are what make the 127th the 'go to' organization that our friends cheer and our enemies fear. Please take time to listen to, thank, and acknowledge our many veterans for their great contributions to the freedom that we enjoy today. Freedom isn't - and never will be - free."

Slocum will be speaking on Tuesday at Veterans Day events at Macomb Community College. In addition to the senior officers of the 127th Wing, members of the wing's Honor Guard will be active at several events on Tuesday and several wing members will be representing the Armed Forces of America at functions at their own childrens' schools. Michigan Airmen are also working with an area hospice organization to present service pins to veterans at several nursing homes.

In other recent events, 127th Wing members have represented the military at a home game of the Detroit Lions and a home game of the Detroit Pistons. In conjunction with the Pistons and other groups, local Airmen have also volunteered on service projects at Forgotten Harvest, a local food recovery charity; and are helping to serve dinner to needy families in advance of Thanksgiving.

"Our Airmen are eager to engage in many of these programs, because they live in the local community and see how these efforts benefit our veterans, encourage our young people and enhance their own home towns," said Angela Pope, who oversees community relations efforts for the 127th Wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. "Though we sometimes have restrictions on what we are able to do during the duty day, many of our Airmen are actively involved in countless charitable programs during their off-duty time."

In addition to the events in the community, Selfridge Airmen are periodically able to accommodate school groups for tours on the base, depending on military mission requirements.

Veterans Day became an official federal holiday in 1954 when the former Armistice Day, which marked the end of combat in World War I on Nov. 11, 1918, was changed to honor all American veterans.

Today, about 1,700 Airmen are part of the 127th Wing of Michigan. The Michigan National Guard's various Army and Air Force components include more than 10,000 Soldiers and Airmen.

For information on requesting a speaker at your event, or a tour, contact the 127th Wing Public Affairs Office at 586-239-5576 or 127wg.paomb@ang.af.mil

About the 127th Wing
Comprised of approximately 1,700 personnel and flying both the A-10 Thunderbolt II and the KC-135 Stratotanker, the 127th Wing supports Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command and Air Force Special Operation Command by providing highly-skilled Airmen to missions domestically and overseas. The 127th Wing is the host unit at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, which marks its 97th year of continuous military air operations in 2014.