Sec. 1091. Sense of Congress honoring the Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, home to the 436th Airlift Wing, the 512th Airlift Wing, and the Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs
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/bill/117/hr/4350/eh/section-1091·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress finds the following: The Dover Air Force Base is home to more than 4,000 active-duty military and civilian employees tasked with defending the United States of America. The Dover Air Force Base supports the mission of the th Airlift Wing, known as Eagle Wing and the 512th Airlift Wing, known as Liberty Wing . The Eagle Wing serves as a unit of the Eighteenth Air Force headquartered with the Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. The Eagle Wing flies hundreds of missions throughout the world, provides a quarter of the United States’ strategic airlift capability, and boasts a global reach to over 100 countries around the world.
The Dover Air Force Base hosts incredible aircrews and aircraft utilized by the United States Air Force, including the C–5M Super Galaxy and C–17A Globemaster III aircraft. The recent Afghanistan airlift is testament to the dedication and readiness of the Dover Air Force Base aircrews and their aircraft. The Dover Air Force Base operates the largest and busiest air freight terminal in the Department of Defense, fulfilling an important role in our Nation’s military. The Air Mobility Command Museum is located on the Dover Air Force base and welcomes thousands of visitors each year to learn more about the United States Air Force.
The Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs fulfills our Nation’s sacred commitment of ensuring dignity, honor, and respect to the fallen and care service and support to their families. The recent events in Afghanistan brought to the fore of public awareness the work of the service members and staff of the Center for Mortuary Affairs. While the recent tragedy that befell our heroes in Afghanistan was the most recent dignified transfer, it is important to not forget that the Center for Mortuary Affairs has conducted over 8,150 dignified transfers since September 11, 2001.
This sacred mission has been entrusted to Dover Air Force Base since 1955 and the Center is currently the only Department of Defense mortuary in the continental United States. Service members who serve at the Center for Mortuary Affairs are often so moved by their work that they voluntarily elect to serve multiple tours because they feel called to serve our fallen heroes. It is the sense of the Congress that the people of the United States should— honor and express sincerest gratitude to the women and men of the Dover Air Force Base for their distinguished service; acknowledge the incredible sacrifice and service of the families of active-duty members of the United States military; keep in their thoughts and their prayers the women and men of the United States Armed Forces; and recognize the incredibly unique and important work of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations and the role they play in honoring our fallen heroes.