Selfridge base groundbreaking ceremony

Good morning. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Selfridge Air National Guard Base. I am Lieutenant Colonel Steve Klinke, the Selfridge Base Civil Engineer, and it is my distinct privilege to serve as your Master of Ceremony for today's historic, groundbreaking event. Today, we mark the official start of construction on the Mission Next runway project, a monumental step forward in ensuring Selfridge remains a premier, state-of-the-art installation for the Michigan National Guard, our Joint Service Tenant Partners, and the state of Michigan. We are incredibly honored to be joined today by key leaders from our federal, state, and local governments, the Michigan National Guard, our community coalition, and our critical project design and construction partners. To maintain the flow of our program, please hold your applause until all speaker remarks have concluded. It is now my distinct pleasure to introduce our first speaker, Mr. Mark Hackle, Macomb County Executive. All right, full disclosure, I found out I was actually the first speaker and actually a speaker at 10.35 last night before the end of the ballgame. So anybody have any idea what happened at the end of the ballgame because I was busy writing a speech. So I want to thank Paul Rogers for giving me that heads up of that information. Although I was a little bit nervous about it and kind of unexpected, I'll take the opportunity to say a few words. They did limit me to five minutes, so it's very difficult to do when we're talking about something so incredibly important and something that's incredibly exciting. But when you think about Selfridge Air Base and how far we've come, and I think it's because of people coming together here throughout not just Macomb County but throughout the entire state, if there's one thing that has united Michigan, it's not just the governor of the state of Michigan, it is Selfridge Air Base. I mean, we are here because everybody came together. Everybody came together to realize the importance of Selfridge Air Base, not just for our nation's economy and the people that are working out here, but in our nation's defense. And so that word resonated because of the people that were working out here. And it started with the generals. And I'm going to go down the list. Odie, General Slocum, the work that he did when he was out here. Mamen, Ralph was an incredible asset to this base. Brancato, when he was here during his tenure. And now Lea Volker, the work she's doing with these folks here. But they got in our ear to get us to understanding that there was going to be a challenge with this base. And it's that replacement of the fighters that was going to continue this base for the next 100 years. And if we didn't do something about it, this was going to be a big challenge, not only for the national defense, but obviously for our economy and what was happening in and around Macomb County and the state of Michigan. And it would have had residual effects with the other installations. So we listened to them. We understood the challenge put forth. And so we carried that mission forward. And today, why we are here is because of the efforts of many of those generals, the people that are working out here, and people coming together to the realization, whether they're public officials, people within the community, to support that mission, that fighter replacement that needed to happen here. And I'm going to tell you, the guy that led that charge was Paul Rogers. Let's make no mistake about it. General Rogers was a – go ahead and clap. I mean, I know he said not to, but you can, all right? I'm going to tell you, this guy was a fierce advocate for self-defense. He understood the defense industry, but he knew what was in store and the opportunities we had here. And one of the big challenges we had was obviously the simple task, as Ralph Maumann said when he came into my office one time, all we've got to do is just move the runway. We've just got to add on to the runway. And I'm thinking to myself, okay, how do we do that? Well, you've just got to build a road out there, and we'll take care of the rest. And that's what's actually happening right now. We're actually fixing, because of state funding and the support we got and working with our Department of Roads and Candace Miller and her team at Public Works, we are doing that right now, as you can see behind me. That work is now taking place where we're shifting the actual roadway. Now, there's a lot of work that is happening. And, again, the exterior of the facility here, we've done things that I call curb appeal. We'll call it curb appeal. And if you look at what we're doing, obviously, by moving that runway, what we've done in front of the base itself with the roundabout, and back then it was Odie Slocum who kept saying we need to do something, make that a little bit better, the access and the entrance. And I don't normally name things after things or people, But this particular situation, if you notice the roundabout, I kept thinking to myself, there's an opportunity for me to call that something, and I call it the ODO, okay? So that's the ODO. And now we have this kind of a little bump, if you will, here. And I thought, you know, this is a first opportunity for Chesterfield to have a part of Selfridge Air Base. And Brad's very excited about that. So he wants to make Chesterfield your airfield. And yet you've got Ken Verkest who's saying, you know, make Harrison your garrison. um brad brad wants to take some ownership so that little bump that we have that little kind of excursion is going to be called the brad bump okay but why we're here today is because we're going to be extending the runway there's going to be some work done and because of the work on behalf of our legislators and this governor providing that funding to make this happen you know you may look at it as an extension of the runway but uh for those of us that do road construction this is just a little patch job we're doing here okay it's a very expensive patch job But we're going to call it Paul's Patch, okay, after Mr. Rogers. So with that being said, you know, I can't thank everybody for coming together the way they did to make this a reality here for Selfridge Air Base. And this is not just something for Macomb County. This is important for the entire state of Michigan and for our nation's defense. So let's make no mistake about that. Interior-wise, there's a lot of work to be done. We're talking about a billion dollars' worth of work, incredible opportunities. And so I've got to give a shout-out to our planning department, Vicki Rowinsky, working with the folks at Selfridge, Team Selfridge, and coming up with a plan so that those that are contractors, people that want to take on some of these projects that are here at Selfridge Air Base, there is a website that you can go to, and it's SelfridgeMissionNext.com. So if you're a contractor, you're looking to do some of the work in and around here, we want you to bid for some of these jobs. We want to try to figure out how we let those bids, but you need to make sure you're competitive in that regard. And as Paul said, sharpen your pencil. But with that being said, there's opportunities that we have to help you better understand how to win those bids and to try to figure out how do you become competitive and what it takes to get through some of those contracts at the federal level. So hats off to our planning department for making that happen. But on the outside, we are working on some of the things that are going to be making sure that Selfridge looks good from the outside of the base, as I mentioned, the curb appeal. Not just what's happening with the ODO, not just happening with the Brad Bump. North River Road, you're seeing a lot of work because there's an entrance to Selfridge Air Base from there. but we have also made a commitment to work on the original access road to Selfridge Air Base. Joy Boulevard will be done next year as well on behalf of our Department of Roads. So a lot of good things happening. We're excited, but it's because everybody coming together here and making sure that as Team Selfridge, we are Team Selfridge. And with that being said, I'm Mark Heckel, and I approve of this message. Thank you, Executive Heckel. Our next speaker is Representative Alicia St. Germain representing the 62nd Michigan House District. Thank you so much. As someone who has the privilege of representing the community that Selfridge calls home, I couldn't be more excited to be here today. I've said it many times, Selfridge isn't just a military base, it's part of who we are in Macomb County. Our community has supported the men and women who serve here for generations. Families have worked, served, and raise their kids right here in this community under the sounds of aircraft flying overhead. I can't tell you how many times I have literally run out of my house looking up at the sky to see what's flying overhead. And just a few days ago, I was outside watching Air Force One practically hovering right over my house. I still get excited every single time, and judging by all the pictures and comments on social media, Facebook, I'm not alone. I guess that's just how we roll here in Macomb County. We love being reminded that the sound of fighter jets is the sound of freedom. We are proud of Selfridge, and we love seeing those fighter jets and big tankers in the sky. But there's something else I've said many times. You can't expect a military base to have a future if you're not willing to invest in it. This runway project is about much more than just construction or shovels on the ground. It's about military readiness, protecting jobs, supporting our local economy, and making sure Selfridge remains a critical part of our national defense for generations to come. Projects like this take an all-hands-on-deck approach with partnership with our military leaders, federal, state, and local partners. But I have to give a special shout-out to my colleague, Rep. Ron Robinson, who is a veteran himself and also chairs our military and veteran affairs appropriations, as well as champion this runway funding. Ron has been a pretty good wingman. He's my wingman when it comes to fighting for Selfridge. But for some reason, they won't let us fly the jets, but we're doing our best to make sure we have a runway to land on. We have something special here in Macomb County. Selfridge is a part of our history, our economy, national security, and our identity. I'm super, super proud to be part of this effort. To our military leadership, local, state, and federal partners, and everyone who helped to make this investment possible, thank you. And most importantly, to the brave men and women who serve our country and the families who stand behind them, we are proud of you. We support you, and I must say, Macomb with everybody. Thank you so much. Thank you, Representative St. Germain. Our next speaker is Senator Kevin Hertel, representing Michigan's 12th Senate District. Good morning, everybody. This day has been a long time in the making. We are officially breaking ground on a project that will allow us to welcome a new fighter mission and usher in a new era right here at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. In the Michigan Senate, I am proud to represent Harrison Township and the surrounding communities right along the shoreline here in Lake St. Clair. Selfridge isn't just a military installation. It is woven into the fabric of our communities and in our local economy. Selfridge creates about 5,000 jobs right here on the base, tens of thousands more across the state and generates more than $850 million in economic activity every year for our state. Behind every one of those jobs is a person who can build a career, raise a family, and put down roots right here in our community. It's a small business owner that can fill the seats at the restaurant, can keep their doors open, and a local family that has a little bit more security and more opportunities because of what this base creates. When Selfridge succeeds, our entire region succeeds. So when we received news that the A-10s were going to be decommissioned, obviously it was deeply disappointing and devastating for not only everyone who wears the uniform here on this base, but for all of our surrounding communities. But we weren't going to back down and let Selfridge's future slip away. We weren't going to throw in the towel, and we sure as hell were not going to stop working to save our hometown base. Because if there's anything you can count on from us here in Michigan, and particularly right here in Macomb County, we do not back down from a fight. We got up off the dirt, we dusted ourselves off, and folks from both parties went to work at every level of government and came together to save the future of this base. And we did it because we knew that this base and all it provides for our state is far too important to let politics get in the way. So over the last several years, we've done our part. At the federal level, we had our congressional partners working tirelessly in Washington to make the case for Selfridge and bring back critical resources. Our Governor Whitmer made a commitment back in 2022 to invest tens of millions of dollars right here into this base, and the legislature delivered $212 million for this project. Everyone had a role to play, and everyone had a responsibility to deliver, and that's what we did. And with the president of one party, the governor of another, and a divided legislature, we came together across the political divide and secured a new fighter mission for Selfridge. Instead of doing what politicians often do, let politics get in the way, we followed the example set by the men and women who serve here on this base, and we put what was right first. The people that serve here understand that the mission at hand always is bigger than any one person. They show up every day united for a common purpose. They focus on what matters, and they are committed to getting the job done. And that's exactly the mindset that we brought to this fight. For years, we have been fighting to keep what we have here at Selfridge. Because of this incredible show of bipartisanship, we are no longer talking about how to preserve Selfridge. We're talking about how to grow opportunity here. By putting aside politics, focusing on what actually matters, Selfridge is now on track to become a premier 21st century super base. A place where we train, where we innovate, where we defend our nation and create good-paying jobs right here in Michigan. So thank you to everyone who helped get us here. Thank you to the men and women who serve here every single day, and to their families, and to the workers who will bring this project to life, and every leader who made today possible. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Hertel. Our next speaker is the Speaker of the House, the Michigan House Speaker, Matt Hall. Welcome. Well, thank you, everybody. Great to be here with you, and appreciate you being here, General Bergman. He's a great member of Congress who is leading the way at the federal level on all the things important for our military. And Candice Miller, who's been a great friend, been championing this base for years. I'm happy they gave you a great seat. You deserve it. And we've got some of our key people here. I see Mike Webber, the senator, very important person. Ron Robinson, who led the way on this, did a great job. This is Ron Robinson's public act. It'll always be that. Great job, Ron. Jay DeBoer, fantastic guy. Dan Lowers in the state senate. And I see Donnie Steele and Will Brock. Hopefully I don't miss anybody. Matt Beerline and Jamie green all the way in the back so great to have everybody with us today we have a great team and uh you know i was with president trump a couple days ago uh and he was uh he was just glowing about this he was so pleased um to hear we're on track to build the runway the progress we're making that we're going to get this done during his term we're going to get those first four fighters here on the base in uh 28 while he's still president so this is in the forefront of his mind um he's very grateful the progress we're making on the ground here um and this was really a difficult achievement you think about it the 152 million um you know it started first of all uh governor whitmer and i going to the oval office uh talking to president trump and uh and we secured a commitment right there on tv we did and that was a big achievement um and then i'll never forget the day when president trump flew in here in front of your whole uh all of the national guard and uh made the commitment that he was going to save selfridge and deliver those uh 21 F-15EXs and we were shocked we said these were even better than the ones we were asking for This was incredible. These are the most modern fighter jets in the world. It's incredible. And that was a great day. And I was here with General Rogers and General Kramer and so many of you and just the pride of all of the members of the Air National Guard that were here that for once we saw Selfridge was winning again. We saw that they were breathing new life into this facility with those new fighter jets and really securing the future of this base for the next 30 to 40 years so then Governor Whitmer came to me and said okay well that's great we secured it but now i want it before Trump leaves office we don't want somebody else to change the decision and i said wow okay so um then the Air Force Secretary called and said okay we'll do it we'll do it um But you've got to pay for this runway. And he said, okay. So that was a challenge. We had to come up with $152 million for a runway and a budget bill without letting the politicians stuff it full of pork. And I think this is the first time in the history of government that that happened. We got this thing through clean, and we did it for Selfridge. And there were a lot of bumps along the way, but we did it, and that allowed us to keep money for very important things like the biggest roads deal in Michigan's history that Governor Whitmer and I made and so many other important priorities, but we never forgot about Selfridge. We got it done clean. You should hang that one on the wall, Ron Robinson. It may never happen again. A clean spending bill with no pork delivered for a great purpose, Selfridge Air National Guard Base. So we're very proud of that. I went over the plans today with General Kramer. It's great to see you're on track to do it in '28 and so exciting. Today we're kicking off what they're doing here to get the airfield ready and then the runway as well. So very grateful. We all came together to do it. It may never happen again. Something this big and bipartisan may never happen again. But so grateful to be a part of it with all of you. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker Hall. Our next speaker is Senator Winnie Brinks, the Michigan State Senate Majority Leader. Good morning. You planned perfect weather, General, so thank you for that. And thank you. I'm honored to be here with all of you today as we break ground on another exciting new chapter for not just the future of Selfridge, but for the future of our entire state and our nation. Selfridge and the dedicated active duty reserve and civilian personnel who serve here plays a critical role in our national security. And I want to say thank you to all of you for rising to the challenge and meeting this moment. Just as Selfridge is critical to the safety of our nation, it is also critical as an economic powerhouse for Macomb County and for our state as a whole, employing 30,000 workers and generating between 850 million to a billion dollars for our economy every single year. That's why investing in Selfridge has been such a high priority for my Senate colleagues and I, and it's why we've worked together across the aisle, across our differences differences, and from every corner of the state to deliver historic bipartisan funding for Selfridge's runway project that we are celebrating today. Folks, this investment means a lot. It means that Selfridge's runway and infrastructure will be well equipped for the advanced fighter jets and refueling tanker missions arriving in 2028. It ensures that Michigan can continue to emerge as a competitive national leader in defense and innovation. It means more economic opportunity and more good-paying jobs right here in Michigan. And it ensures that Selfridge will be more than ready to meet the needs of our nation for generations to come. Bringing this project to life has certainly been a collaborative effort, so I'd like to take a moment to express my gratitude to all of the partners who came together and worked hard to make it happen. I especially want to thank my colleague, Senator Kevin Hertel, for his long-standing advocacy and leadership on behalf of Selfridge. You've been a leading voice in the fight for Selfridge's future, and it has been a privilege to see your tireless efforts culminate in a moment like this. Today, we aren't simply breaking ground on a new runway project. We are laying the groundwork for Selfridge's next century. The next century of national defense, of innovation, opportunity, and that's an accomplishment we should all be very proud of. Congratulations. Thank you, Senator Brinks. Now it is my distinct honor to introduce Major General Paul D. Rogers, the Adjutant General of the Michigan National Guard. Well, good morning, everybody, and thank you so much for being here. I didn't realize I was going to be a recipient of a patch, so thank you so much. Paul's patch, I'm very honored to accept that on this great moment. But the best part about it is that it's crowned by the Hackle Highway. I will always feel your embrace, so that's all I got. Okay. But I think the greatest thing we're here today to celebrate is not a groundbreaking necessarily, but it's the leadership that got us here. And that's really what this is to me. It's a celebration of leadership throughout the entire team that is represented by all of you in this audience. You're here because you have a vested interest and because you've given something, your time, your talent, your treasure, to make this moment happen. And that's what this moment means to me. Governor, with your leadership, it's been phenomenal. Eight years. This is just one of so many things that you've accomplished for this department and for the men and women who wear a uniform and the former veterans. So thank you so much for your leadership throughout the eight years and that your impact is going to exist for generations to come. And that is so important. Senate Majority Leader and Speaker, again, you coming together in a tight budget year, revenue turning down and finding this money to make this happen. You're securing the future of this base, again, for generations, and that is not taken lightly. And then our committee chairs and Rep. Robinson, I know you're out there. Thank you so much for your leadership on the committee and the House and for the leadership from some of the speakers who have already been here on the Senate side. It's that bipartisanship and it's that teamwork and it's providing leadership to everybody else to help them understand how important this is in advocating. But I'd be remiss if I didn't highlight that this is an all of government approach from the local county leadership and the teammates that we have here. It's just phenomenal. It's unmatched anywhere. I think we're you know, there's a lot of jealousy toward Michigan right now from my enterprise. And I always hear it when I show up with my fellow 53 tags and you walk in the room and they go, oh, what did Michigan get this time? Right. So but really, it's because of the teamwork and it's because of the shared commitment. And it's because of the willingness to work across the aisle and across the House and Senate and by the from the county to the state, to the federal government. That's what makes this moment possible. And you all should drive the Hackle Highway for years to come and gaze upon the Paul's Patch and really take personal pride in what you've done and what you've chosen to do, because that is incredible. And that's not something we take lightly in this department. And we are committed to seeing this through. I'm so excited when I see the work on the road and the drain and the leadership, again, from the drain commissioner to help us get here. and across the base community council and all those people who are vested in our success and all of the legislators that are here today. This really means a lot to me. So thank you so much for all the work. Dan's Excavating is doing a phenomenal job. They're getting after the road and the drain. And Chrisman, they have done phenomenal work for us in the past. So when I saw that they've been selected to lead this project, I knew we had the A-team. And, you know, I know the CEO, Steve, couldn't be here today, but Jason Eide is here. And, Jason, in the past, you've delivered, your company has delivered projects under schedule, under budget, and we're asking you to do it one more time, one more time, especially the schedule part, right, the schedule part, because that schedule drives everything else. And that is our risk, is the timeline to get this done. And I know we've got amazing people, and we're going to have amazing results. But results matter, and today is all about results. And then our federal legislators, very grateful for you joining us today. And, you know, the next phase of Selfridge, the 2027-2028 budgets out of the federal government are critical. And we're just so fortunate to have Congressman Bergman here, who's the chair of the readiness subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee that handles the MilCon budget. So his leadership, he has given us direct access to his professional staff from his committee to have discussions, to show them our plans, and to lay the facts straight so that the misinformation that we're not ready to start building the hangars and the other projects is set aside. And that direct access has allowed us to lobby within that, in a good way, the good lobby, within that process to make sure that the facts are being shared. So, again, his leadership, and I can't wait for groundbreakings next year to celebrate the results that he helps deliver on the federal side. So, gentlemen, thank you both for being here and being part of this. And to our uniformed members, I always want to finish up by acknowledging the service that you give to your nation and to your state. Again, this base has over 300 folks in the Middle East, downrange. They've been there for eight months, which is twice as long as a typical Air National Guard deployment. Their sacrifice, their family's sacrifice, is not something we should ignore. It's not something we should not acknowledge, and we should be very grateful. and they will not be returning for several more months. So this is an unprecedented deployment for those men and women, and there's a lot of service and sacrifice on their family's side, and they will not be home for the holidays. So keep them in your mind throughout this celebration but going forward over the next several months. And it is my distinct honor one more time, hopefully not the last time, But one more time, to introduce the best boss I've ever had in my career, and I'm old, so I've had a lot of bosses, but she is the epitome of a leader. She gives guidance. She always answers the phone. She always shows up when I ask her. I try not to abuse it, but maybe I'm a little needy at times, but she is always there, and you cannot ask more of a boss than that. So it is a distinct honor and pleasure for me personally and professionally to introduce my boss and your governor, Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Good morning. I am thrilled to be here with all of you. And as I reflect on the last eight years, as my time as governor comes to a close, it is an honor to be here once again at Selfridge. It is with gratitude that I thank everyone here who played an important role in getting us to this moment. and I think that one of the best decisions I made in the early days of a transition that time between election and when take your oath of office was asking Paul Rogers to be our adjutant general thank you for your leadership General Rogers and yes he does wear me out on occasion but it's only because he is a relentless advocate for the guard for the military for the state of Michigan yesterday we were together up in Grayling with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Congressman, you are joining with us. And I think I highlight that because as we think about growing our defense sector, as we think about who we are in Michigan and the contributions we can make to our national security, it's important that we continue to center this work. Every one of these agencies, whether it's the Guard, it is the best National Guard in the country, which is the Michigan National Guard, or it is the MEDC, or it is leadership at the federal level, the state level, and the local level. All of these are important ingredients and we're going to continue to be successful because it doesn't just happen. Selfridge supports thousands of good-paying local jobs. Selfridge also is a linchpin to all of our other installations across the state. This is a 5,000 military family. It drives $850 million in economic impact. So fighting for Selfridge is a mission that should unite all of us, Republicans, Democrats, independents, everyone. And a lot of people worked hard to get it to this point. And I want to acknowledge the Democratic leadership in the legislature, the Republican leadership in the legislature, Senate Majority Leader Brinks, Speaker Hall, all the members of legislature who were pivotal to getting us to this moment. Major General Rogers, I want to acknowledge all of the state, my cabinet directors who were part of this, from the budget director to DTMB and everyone else. You know, I've got 65 days left as governor, and as you can imagine, it comes with a lot of reflection. I have been able to be a part of problem solving and getting us to this moment, but we hand it to the next generation of leaders, and it's an important part of public service is keeping the people of Michigan at the center of the work. This base is both a cornerstone of Macomb's economy and a vital part of Michigan's overall defense industry. As recently as 2022, the A-10 Warthogs at the Air Base were set to be retired without a replacement. It would have cost us thousands of jobs, as well as just simply $30 million in wages alone. Every year since I took office, we have advocated for greater investment here at Selfridge. Working with two different presidents, serving on the COG, which General Rogers is the one who encouraged me to do that. The COG is the Council of Governors. It is a group, a small group of governors, bipartisan and group who advises the president. Only two of us were held over from one administration to the next. But it's something that I've taken very seriously because our seat at the table matters. I joined Air Force secretaries thousands of feet in the air in a Blackhawk to make the case. We hosted defense leaders at Selfridge and other installations in Battle Creek, Alpena, and Grayling. I sat down in the Oval Office to make our case. Local and federal leaders, military members. Civilians, Democrats, and Republicans worked together to get this done. And relentless advocacy landed our F-15 EX fighter mission here at this base when we hosted the president to come and make the announcement here in person. Michiganders don't shy away from a challenge. A lot of people were ready to cut the losses and count this base out. Not us. We rolled up our sleeves and got to work, and we wore them out in Washington, D.C. By working as a team, we solidified Michigan's position at the forefront of national defense. Selfridge is just one way we're continuing our legacy. We're leading projects in advanced manufacturing and pioneering new mobility challenges for air, land, and sea. Companies from around the world are choosing Michigan to build their next chapter at places like our all-domain or all oh god help me out general our national all-domain war fighting center which was on the tip of my tongue and our Michigan maritime manufacturing initiative are just a couple of examples of how Michigan is leading the way and people are taking notice from around the around the country and it's something that we've been working at for a long time. We built the arsenal of democracy during World War II. Today we're building the next one. Over the last eight years, we've worked together to strengthen national security, boost our state's economy, and support our military communities for generations to come. And Selfridge represents the very best of that work. So as I think about my time as governor, what's happened on this base, what's happened with the men and women of the Michigan National Guard will always be an absolute highlight thank you so much and congratulations let's begin the next new big chapter of what's possible right here at Selfridge thank you thank you Governor Whitmer for those inspiring words and for your continued support of our service members and military installations at this time Governor Whitmer Major General Rogers Senator Brinks Speaker Hall Executive please proceed to the designated photo area for the official groundbreaking photo Please retrieve your hard hats and shovels as you position yourself behind the ceremonial dirt box. All other guests are invited to remain in place as we complete the photo. Here we go. Is everybody ready? Okay. Shovels in ground. Anybody want anything different than that? Yeah, can I do it? Can we do shovels all together? Everybody closer to one big... Move it, move it, move it. There you go. Okay. There you go. Very nice. Okay. You do not have to throw the dirt anywhere.