Government : In the Statehouse

It wasn’t difficult to find inspiration this week. After a hair raising ride to Des Moines on sheets of ice, my first inspiration was from the brave souls who clean our roads off so we can get to work and school. That’s one job shadow I do not want to do!

If I just look, the Capitol is full of inspiring people. People who are so passionate about issues they travel all the way to Des Moines to have their voices heard. My colleagues who work 12+ hour days listening and taking note of citizen and department heads’ input. All of the Capitol employees who are there at 6:30 a.m., rain, sleet, snow or shine, to make our government work – the Capitol Troopers who keep us safe, the number crunchers who inform, the bill drafters who have crafted legislator’s ideas into bills from everything from hours of meetings to ideas that were written on a napkin, the cafeteria people who make sure we have a balanced meal if we can get down there, the legislative assistants making sure our schedules are up to date and we are prepared for our meetings, the researchers and more. All of these people are there to make our wonderful representative government work. It’s an amazing whirlwind of working with joy and purpose. Stop down sometime, I would love it.

We ended the week with the most inspiration of all, the joint session for the “Condition of the Guard” by Major General Timothy Orr. This was the 3rd year he’d addressed the General Assembly and his message this year was “The Iowa National Guard – On Call for Iowa and the Nation”. They are “Mission Focused and Warrior Ready”!

The Iowa National Guard began in 1838 and has carried through to now, where we have 9,400 dedicated soldiers and airmen ready to serve. At Christmas last year, all but 180 Guardsman were home with their families. We have not had that many home at Christmas since 9/11. Currently there are 260 deployed to Afghanistan, Kosovo, Qatar, Honduras and Kuwait. They are providing medical support, logistical support and police support in those countries.

Over the past two years, 130 soldiers have had to have medical treatment. MG Orr reported that now, only 14 are still receiving treatment in military medical facilities. He also told us of the Guard who return from deployments to their employers and the difficulties there. We have a program to help businesses hold those jobs open for the soldiers while they are gone. He also thanked us for the tuition assistance program that a Guardsman can come back and receive 100% free tuition at a state university and the home assistance program. His message was one of gratitude for the support of the citizens, the Governor and the Legislature to the Iowa National Guard. WE are grateful for their selfless service! It amazes me when we have people who give it everything they have and they are full of gratitude to everyone else. I see that in most public service professions, but soldiering is the highest calling.

Lots more happened, but I could write all day and still not tell you everything. If you would like my email newsletter, you can subscribe at dawn.pettengill@legis.iowa.gov or if you have concerns, feel free to call me at 515-281-3221. Thank you for allowing me to represent your interests!!