Four U.S. governors visit Joint Base Balad

Published Aug. 2, 2011
By Senior Airman Amber R. Kelly-Herard
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Governors from Kentucky, Nevada, Tennessee and Utah visited Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Aug. 1, to meet with their deployed service members.

The governors are traveling to Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan and Landstuhl, Germany, as part of the 2011 Governors Delegation, a program sponsored by the Secretary of Defense.

"It's humbling to meet with the men and women who make Nevada proud," said Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval. "I'm proud to be able to see where they are assigned. It makes me proud to be a Nevadan and proud to be an American."

"It's also inspiring," said Sandoval. "You can read about being deployed and see pictures, but to be here is a different perspective that I will bring back to Nevada.

Sandoval said he is journaling hour-by-hour everything he encounters to share with Nevada.

Master Sgt. Christian Cantrill, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Operations NCO in charge, is deployed from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and met with his governor.

"I plan on retiring in Nevada, so I asked Governor Sandoval about the housing economy and job market, particularly unemployment, and if he planned on creating a similar immigration law to Arizona," said Cantrill, who is originally from Seattle. "I've never had the chance before to get direct answers, so it was great to get answers."

Each of the governors are traveling to U.S. Central Command for the first time.

"I am very honored to be here," said Utah Gov. Gary Herbert. "It's nothing like seeing up close and personal the conditions Utah citizens have deployed to and will deploy to."

"I recently went to a funeral, which is the toughest part of a governor's job, for an Army Specialist who was not a U.S. citizen, but loved America so much," said Herbert. "His love for the U.S. is something that many take for granted, so he is one of the reasons why I came here to see what is going on and to gain better perspective."

The specialist was awarded citizenship at his funeral.

After the governors met with their constituents and answered questions, they posed for photographs before departing JBB.

"It was a good opportunity to meet face-to-face with those who make decisions," said Senior Airman Jeremy Branham, a 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron avionics technician who is deployed from Moody AFB, Ga., and a native of Prestonsburg, Ky.