Tag: military and veterans

Sen. Ed Harbison Reappointed Legislative Officer for Georgia MOPH

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Andrew Allison, Director
Kessarin Horvath, Communications Specialist
[email protected]
404.656.0028

ATLANTA (April 19, 2021) | On Saturday, April 17, 2021, Sen. Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) was reappointed to serve as Legislative Officer for the Department of Georgia Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH).  

“While serving as a member is an honor in it of itself, I am grateful for the opportunity to continue my position as Legislative Officer and promote the ideas and goals of this organization,” said Sen. Harbison. “The Military Order of the Purple Heart represents some of the finest examples of bravery and service, and the men and women of this community share a collective commitment to service. I wholeheartedly believe in expanding resources to our veterans who have made selfless sacrifices in order to defend us and our country, and I vow to continue to promote legislation that has their best interests in mind.” 

Chartered by the United States Congress, MOPH is a war veterans organization that provides membership exclusively to the combat wounded and military individuals who have been awarded the Purple Heart medal. The mission of the Georgia Department is to “foster an environment of goodwill and camaraderie among Combat Wounded Veterans, promote patriotism, support necessary legislative initiatives, and most importantly, provide service to all Veterans and their families in the state of Georgia.” For more information, please view the link here: https://www.gamoph.org. 

Senator Ed Harbison Appointed To Serve On The Georgia Joint Defense Commission

ATLANTA (September 25, 2020) | Sen. Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) was appointed by Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan on Tuesday to serve as a member of the Georgia Joint Defense Commission.

“Having the opportunity to represent the heroic individuals who have answered the call to serve their country on the Georgia Joint Defense Commission is truly an honor,” said Sen. Harbison. “Having served in the United States Marines and as an inductee into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame for my work with veterans, I understand the crucial role all branches of the armed forces play in keeping our homeland safe. With major military installations across the state, Georgia plays a critical role in maintaining the operations of the United States Military. I look forward to contributing my knowledge to this Commission and ensuring Georgia remains at the forefront of our country’s military operations.”   

The Georgia Joint Defense Commission was established in 2018 as a result of Senate Bill 395. Comprised of 19 individuals, the Commission is tasked with advising the Governor and General Assembly on matters concerning the military both nationally and statewide.

To learn more about the Georgia Joint Defense Commission and view the full text of Senate Bill 395, visit: http://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20172018/SB/395.

Senator Ed Harbison Hosts International Military Students at the State Capitol

ATLANTA (October 29, 2019) | Yesterday, Sen. Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) hosted a group of students from the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) International Military Student Office (IMSO), located in Ft. Benning, Georgia. The WHINSEC IMSO serves as the headquarters for all international students from the Western Hemisphere at Fort Benning. All IMSO students learn about the different levels of the U.S. government during their stay in this country.

This program aims to help international students understand American culture, as well as the government and military operations within the state of Georgia and United States. To date, over 8,500 students from over 20 different countries have participated in the program.

“Fort Benning and the WHINSEC International Military Student Office are a wonderful resource for our nation’s military and for promoting democracy around the world,” said Sen. Harbison. “This year, many of the students in the class are from Colombia. We had an extensive conversation about governance in their home country and the role Georgia politics plays in creating policies they may have heard about in the news. I learn as much from them as they do from me and am happy we have such a productive program in our district.”

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/

Senator Ed Harbison Welcomes International Military Students to the State Capitol

ATLANTA (June 12, 2019) | Sen. Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) hosted a group of students from the International Military Student Office (IMSO), located in Ft. Benning, Georgia. This is the third year in a row that student’s from the IMSO have joined Sen. Harbison at the state capitol for a tour and introduction to state politics.

“The students with the IMSO and their teachers from Fort Benning always bring a valuable perspective to me at the capitol through their thoughtful questions about our legislative process and difference in governance they see in their home countries,” said Sen. Harbison. “While they are learning about local, state and national politics and more about the United States’ role in international diplomacy, we are learning just as much from them. This is a great program and one that I am so happy we have right here in Georgia.”

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. Since the program’s inception in 1950, 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/

The Senate Study Committee on Creating a Lottery Game to Benefit Veterans Adopts Recommendation

ATLANTA (December 28, 2018) | Sen. Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) and members of the Senate Study Committee on Creating a Lottery Game to Benefit Veterans met in Columbus on Thursday, December 20th, and unanimously adopted the committee recommendation.

The recommendation is as follows:

  • Legislation should be introduced that establishes one or more instant scratch off ticket games whose funds will be dedicated to help veterans services throughout the state. The game will be established and overseen by the Georgia Lottery Corporation.

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 was comprised of five members of the Senate who looked at the possibility of creating one or more games within the Georgia Lottery for the benefit of Georgia’s military veterans.

The Senate Study Committee on Creating a Lottery Game to Benefit Veterans Meeting in Columbus

ATLANTA (December 17, 2018) | Sen. Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) will host the next meeting of the Senate Study Committee on Creating a Lottery Game to Benefit Veterans on Thursday, December 20, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. in Columbus, Georgia.

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 31, 2018.

WHO:              Sen. Ed Harbison and members of the Senate Study Committee on Creating a Lottery Game to Benefit Veterans

WHAT:            Meeting of the Senate Study Committee on Creating a Lottery Game to Benefit Veterans

WHEN:            Thursday, December 20, 2018
1:00 p.m.

WHERE:         Citizen Service Center

Community Meeting Room

3111 Citizens Way

Columbus, GA  31906

Note: Upon entering the Citizen Service Center, please see the receptionist and she can direct you to the community meeting room

Senator Ed Harbison Hosts International Military Students at the State Capitol

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/

Sen. Ed Harbison Appointed as Chair of Senate Study Committee

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.

Sen. Ed Harbison Welcomes Veteran Green Berets Robert Pennington and William Summers

ATLANTA (March 19, 2018) | Senator Ed Harbison (D – Columbus) welcomed veteran Green Berets Robert Pennington and William Summers from the U.S. Army’s 5th 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.

Sen. Ed Harbison Honors Ranger Daniel Boatwright

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 2nd 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 2ndAirborne Ranger Company. The 126 men of the 2nd 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.