While many groups go dark with meetings during the hottest summer months, the Southern Arizona CCIM Chapter turned up the heat at its July 8th meeting with some politics and invited Colonel (retired) Martha McSally, Congressional Candidate for CD-2 to speak to an audience of just under 100 people.
McSally, the first woman to command a Fighter Squadron in combat, earned the Bronze Star and 6 air medals for her combat leadership and 325 combat hours in the single-seat A-10 “Warthog” spoke for about 40 minutes. She addressed issues and questions such as Affordable Healthcare Act, reigniting the Economy, rebuilding the middle-class, balancing the budget, support for veterans, and specific leadership she would bring to Congress.
Her first-hand experience with the A-10 and the future of Davis Monthan were particularly poignant for the group. “There is simply currently no other aircraft in the inventory or under development that provides this capability for our troops. The Warthog is an affordable, reliable plane that can and should serve our military until at least 2028, its current lifespan,” according to McSally.
“Davis-Monthan is a national security treasure that brings over $1 billion of economic impact to our community (annually). It is valuable to the military because of the weather, airspace, and proximity to the Goldwater air to ground gunnery ranges. DM is a national asset specifically for training of air-to-ground tactical aircraft like the A-10. As we fight for the A-10, we must also advocate for DM by being willing to accept any tactical air-to-ground assets here to benefit from the exceptional training environment.”
"When elected, I will lead the effort to fight for the A-10 and DM. I have the credibility to work across the aisle and with the Senate to ensure these valuable assets are protected for the long haul. Davis-Monthan AFB, our community, and our troops in harm’s way need a representative engaged in this fight and who understands why it’s important without having to rely on talking points from staff. When elected to Congress, I will make defending the airplane I flew and the base I served at my top priority," McSally went on to say.
McSally responded to her meeting with CCIM members by saying, "The number one concern on people's minds is growing the economy and creating better opportunity for those in our community. The experts I talked with at the Southern Arizona Chapter of CCIM had great insight about rolling back stifling regulations and encouraging investment in local commercial real estate, which will in turn be an investment in Southern Arizona and its people. I'm grateful for their invitation to talk and look forward to building on their insights to help spur our local economy."
To read more about McSally and her congressional campaign go to https://mcsallyforcongress.com/