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ATLANTA (August 2, 2018) | Sen. Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) hosted a group of 55 students from the International Military Student Office (IMSO), located in Ft. Benning, Georgia. He was joined by Sen. Tonya Anderson (D – Lithonia), Sen. Mike Dugan (R – Carrollton), Sen. Gail Davenport (D – Jonesboro) and Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R – Marietta).

“Speaking with and showing the International Military students around the state capitol is an event I look forward to every year,” said Sen. Harbison. “The best way for the United States to create relationships and build our network is through programs such as these. And while there is a lot these students can learn from the outstanding program at Fort Benning, there is much for us to learn from them. I look forward to continuing this partnership in the future.”

The IMSO serves as the headquarters for all international students at Fort Benning. All IMSO students learn about the different levels of the U.S. government during their stay in this country. This helps to give them an understanding of our way of life, as well as the government and military operations within it. To date, over 8,500 students from over 100 different countries have participated in the program.

To learn more about the International Military Student Office at the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, follow this link: http://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/199th/IMSO/

ATLANTA (June 20, 2018)  | Sen. Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) has been appointed by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle to serve as the Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Creating a Lottery Game to Benefit Veterans.

“The idea of a lottery that will benefit veteran’s issues is not a new idea, but one that has been discussed for several years,” said Sen. Harbison. “The Georgia Lottery has long been used as a means for students to attend Pre-Kindergarten and college, but we see the lottery as something that could also be used to benefit the men and women who have sacrificed their time, talents and energy to protecting and serving our nation. We realized that we need to do as much research as possible to determine the best course of legislative action in order to find a solution that will not affect the current system, but add to the lottery’s capabilities.”

“Georgia’s veterans have selflessly sacrificed to defend our freedom and keep our families safe,” said Lt. Governor. “Chairman Harbison has continued to champion the wellbeing of our veterans, while working to make more opportunities available to ensure their families share in our state’s record economic prosperity. I’m confident the members of this committee will thoroughly evaluate ideas and solutions to improve the quality of life for our veterans.”

The Senate Study Committee on Creating a Lottery Game to Benefit Veterans was created by the passage of Senate Resolution 484 during the 2018 Legislative Session. As stated in the resolution, the committee shall be comprised of five members of the Senate who will look at the possibility of creating one or more games within the Georgia Lottery for the benefit of Georgia’s military veterans. The committee must report its findings on or before December 1, 2018.

ATLANTA (March 19, 2018) | Senator Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) welcomed veteran Green Berets Robert Pennington and William Summers from the U.S. Army’s 5^th Special Forces Group on March 19, 2018, to honor them for their bravery and service with Senate Resolution 1024.

“I am so honored to have these brave men here with us today,” said Sen. Harbison. “When duty called, these men went running, and I can think of nothing more impressive. I am thankful for their commitment to our country, its principles and for defending our freedom.”

The once classified story of Pennington, Summers and their team was recently used as the inspiration behind the 2018 movie, “12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers.” The story became popularized not only for these men’s heroism, but for their innovative tactics, using horseback to conquer challenging mountainous terrain.

Following the 9/11 attacks, their team was one of the first deployed on the ground in the War in Afghanistan. Partnering with the rebel Afghan Northern Alliance, the members of their team were instrumental in driving back Al-Qaeda and Taliban soldiers during the early days of the conflict.

ATLANTA (March 8, 2018) | Sen. Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) was pleased to honor Ranger Daniel Boatwright with Senate Resolution 859 at the state Capitol on Wednesday, March 7, 2018.

“Ranger Boatwright and the 2^nd Airborne Ranger Company’s integrity is why I strive to do everything I can to make our state a better place,” said Sen. Harbison. “These men have not received the recognition they deserve. They fought tirelessly for our country during a time of heightened racial tension and I consider it a great honor to ensure that their stories are persevered in American history.”

Ranger Boatwright is one of the last surviving soldiers of the 2^ndAirborne Ranger Company. The 126 men of the 2^nd Airborne Ranger Company fought in Korea from Christmas Day of 1950 until the fall of 1951 and are the first, last and only all African-American ranger company in United States history. Ranger Boatwright, from Keysville, Georgia, wrote a book documenting the company’s experiences in persevering American values and freedom.

ATLANTA (October 12, 2017) | Senator Ed Harbison (D — Columbus) will speak at the Congressional Military Family Caucus Summit hosted by Rep. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA – 02) and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA – 05) in Columbus, Georgia, on October 17, 2017.

“I am looking forward to speaking at this summit and thank Congressman Bishop, Congresswoman Rodgers and the Congressional Military Families Caucus for putting this event together,” said Sen. Harbison. “An integral part of our district 15 community is Fort Benning and the citizens statewide who live and work in and around one of our several military installations. Understanding, receiving and using your benefits to help yourself and your family live happy and healthy lives is a privilege you have earned. We host summits like this to better comprehend what needs our veterans have and use these ideas to help create positive, impactful legislation that will help support a veteran-friendly Georgia.”

The meeting will feature several panels, recognition presentations and breakout sessions that will highlight various aspects of military family life, from military spouse employment, to military healthcare, education, benefits and more.

The Congressional Military Family Caucus meets annually to host a summit aimed at addressing the unique challenges military families across the nation face. Members of Congress, local elected officials, advocates, military families and service members meet to discuss solutions to the issues military families encounter.