Rancho Sahuarita was recently a proud sponsor of the first Salute to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base event, held on the eve of Veterans Day at the Pima Air & Space Museum.
The Salute, which included bus tours of Davis-Monthan and presentations by Major General (Ret) Bob DuLaney, Colonel James Meger, and DM50 President Brian Harpel, was organized by the DM50, a volunteer group of community and business leaders who promote and advocate for the base. All profits from the Salute support lobbying and advocacy efforts on behalf of the base.
These efforts are essential in a time of changing military priorities, when military installations and missions around the country are under increased scrutiny.
Davis-Monthan is one of Tucson’s major employers and a significant economic driver in Southern Arizona; estimates put the base’s economic impact around $1.6 billion.
The military men and women of Davis-Monthan are also a huge part of the Rancho Sahuarita community. Many members of Tucson’s defense and military sector call Rancho Sahuarita home, due to the community’s proximity to the base and other major defense employers. Our military men and women choose Rancho Sahuarita because it is a safe, family-friendly community, and we are proud to count them among our friends and neighbors.
Jeremy Sharpe, vice president of community development at Rancho Sahuarita, is an honorary commander for the 355th Medical Operations Squadron at Davis-Monthan. “DM has a significant footprint in Rancho Sahuarita, and in the greater Tucson metro area. We consider the operations of the base to be vital to our national security, and to the economic security of Rancho Sahuarita, the Town of Sahuarita, and Southern Arizona,” he says.
“Rancho Sahuarita will continue to support the efforts of the DM50 and other Davis-Monthan advocacy organizations, and will remain a proud supporter of members of the Armed Forces, particularly those who call Rancho Sahuarita home.”
To learn more about the DM50, and ways to show that our community supports Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, visit www.DM50.org.