The Arnold Community Council (ACC) held its annual “DC Fly-In” from April 29th through May 1st. The ACC delegation met with United States Air Force leaders at the Pentagon on Monday. They also met with Congressional leaders and staff members at the United States Capitol. The ACC delegation presented and discussed issues that are important to the 13-county Arnold Air Force Base (AFB) community that supports the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) and partner agencies in the Major Range Test Facilities Base (MRTFB).
Lynn Sebourn, ACC Vice-President, along with ACC members Jim Jolliffe and Beverly Lee, led the delegation in meetings with United States Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty. Three teams met with Tennessee’s United States Congressional Representatives (and their staff members) who represent the Arnold community including Tim Burchett, Scott DesJarlais, Chuck Fleischmann, Mark Green, David Kustoff, and John Rose. The delegation also met with other Congress members and staffers (many of whom are partners in the Congressional Range and Testing Center Caucus) including Dale Strong (AL), Julia Brownley (CA), Steven Hosford (NV), Jay Obernolte (CA), and Jamie Raskin (MD).
On Tuesday, the ACC delegation hosted a reception in the United States Capitol. With support from the Tennessee Valley Authority, the reception fostered open dialogue among many congressional districts. At the reception, the ACC was pleased to present a U.S. flag that had been flown over the U.S. Capitol to Tullahoma Utilities Authority President Brian Skelton. The presentation was in recognition of Skelton’s many years of support to the AEDC on the occasion of his relocation to a new position in Alabama.
The ACC was pleased to visit the Pentagon for small-group discussions with key Air Force staff. The delegation addressed the potential public lease of some AEDC property parcels, personnel recruiting, staffing and retention and state-of-the-art technology development with accelerated testing and deployment of fielded weapon systems.
About the Arnold Community Council:
The Arnold Community Council (ACC) is a civic organization that supports Arnold Air Force Base (AFB) and the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC). ACC has 240 individual members representing civic, commercial, and industrial entities in the 13-county region around Arnold AFB, Tennessee.
ACC supports awareness of AEDC by holding informational meetings with the Tennessee Legislature and Tennessee Congressional delegation as well as annual advocacy visits to the Pentagon and Capitol Hill; donating to quarterly and annual military award winners; donating to the annual AEDC Veteran’s Picnic and the AEDC Children’s Christmas Party; supporting the Honor Flight of Middle Tennessee, Wreaths Across America; and sponsoring receptions for visiting dignitaries. ACC is a Tennessee nonprofit corporation and an IRS 501(c)(6) organization.