The Military Affairs Council was pleased to have U.S. Senator Bob Casey attend our latest Commander’s Breakfast where he heard firsthand the positive impact that the military has on Western Pennsylvania.
Tour of Local Installations
Rear Admiral Nancy J. Lescavage, USN (Ret), Executive Director Pennsylvania Military Community Enhancement Commission, and Peter Witmer, Deputy Director, tour local installations with Col. Goodwill, PA ANG HQ; Maj. Baker, 911th Air Lift Wing; Marcel Minutolo, Military Affairs Council, and Chuck Sargent (not pictured here), Commissioner PMCEC. The tour included the 316th ESC, 911th Air […]
Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP) Now Available
The VRRAP program offers education and training for high-demand jobs to Veterans who are unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and is part of the American Rescue Plan. This is a great benefit even for veterans who have no remaining educational benefits and Robert Morris University is one of the approved universities in the program. […]
Department of Defense Looking to Improve Pay for Guard & Reserve Troops
We have a large presence of the National Guard and reservists in the Western Pennsylvania area. This pay raise would go a long way to helping support our service members. Read more information here.
Change of Command at the 171st Air Refueling Wing
The 171st Air Refueling Wing participated in a Change of Command ceremony where Colonel Raymond L. Hyland took command of the 171st on May 6, 2021, near Pittsburgh, PA. Brig. Gen. Michael J. Regan, Commander of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard officially passed the 171st guidon to Hyland making him Wing Commander. Congratulations to Colonel […]
Pittsburgh ARS Pursues Joint Programs
Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station is striving to create joint partnerships with surrounding opportunities. These types of programs continue to strengthen the region promoting joint military-academic partnerships. Read the full article here to find out how senior leadership is capitalizing on the ARS’s geography.
Policy Analysts Call for New BRAC Considerations
Our region has seen threats to the military community under previous Base Realignment and Closures (BRAC) recommendations. Fortunately, all of the local units have been spared because of the benefits that they provide (see our previous article, “How The 911th Airlift Wing Helps Pennsylvania’s Economy Soar.”) Now, policy analysts at the Heritage Foundation are calling […]
How The 911th Airlift Wing Helps Pennsylvania’s Economy Soar
The 911th Airlift Wing near the Pittsburgh airport has been a staple of Western PA since it was transformed from a farm field to an aircraft refueling stop in 1943. Decades later, it retains an important role in both the U.S. military and Pennsylvania as a whole. The 911th has positively impacted the local and […]
How You Can Help Our Veterans Have A Happier Holiday
The holiday season should be a time to spend at home surrounded by good food and the people dearest to us. For many of the men and women serving our country, though, this is more of a wishful fantasy than a reality. Every year, countless active military members and veterans spend their holiday away from […]
3 Ways You Can Help End Veteran Homelessness In Pittsburgh
Despite the life skills and job qualifications that military service can provide, veterans make up about 11 percent of the United States homeless population, according to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV). Factors such as physical injuries, bad housing markets, and mental illnesses like PTSD have resulted in over 40,000 former service members sleeping […]