YUMA — Arizona Senator Sinema today joined Sergeant Major Porterfield, the senior enlisted leader for 1 Marine Expeditionary Force, for a tour and town hall at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma to hear about the issues affecting the 4,000 Marines and their families stationed on base.
“Our Marines put their lives on the line to keep Arizona safe and secure. I’m working with leaders like Colonel Suggs and Sergeant Major Porterfield to ensure Arizona’s military installations have the resources and support they need,” said Sinema.
Suicide rates continue to increase among active duty members, and reached an all-time high in 2018. A total of 57 Marines lost their lives to suicide in 2018. Sinema has worked with Colonel Suggs, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma’s commanding officer, to improve the quality of life for Marines stationed in Yuma, including upgrading barracks for servicemembers.
Sinema recently introduced the bipartisan Daniel Somers Network of Support Act, legislation named after Arizona Army veteran Sergeant Daniel Somers, that requires the Department of Defense to create networks of support for servicemembers. The bill is included in this year’s defense bill.
Sinema helped secure multiple provisions in the annual defense bill that will benefit Arizona’s military installations, including support for F35 missions at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, funding for military construction projects at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, and language that will help Arizona’s defense community continue to grow and create good-paying jobs.
