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My Visit to the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base

March 21, 2016
E-Newsletter

Dear Friends,

On Friday, I visited the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. The Commanding General, Major General Lewis A. Craparotta, and his staff briefed me on the strategic importance of the base to U.S. national security objectives and the fight against terrorism. We also discussed how to best support the Marine Corps to ensure service men and women have the resources they need to protect our country.

My top priority is the safety and security of Americans, home and abroad. Our nation faces a diverse array of threats, and it is critical that we maintain and strengthen our military readiness. That is why I have consistently voted to support our military and crossed the aisle to ensure our readiness is not eroded by across-the-board spending cuts.

Rep. Ruiz took a helicopter tour of the base training areas

Following the Command briefing I took a helicopter tour of the base training areas. The Twentynine Palms base is a unique asset for our military. It offers air-ground integration training for our troops in an environment similar to the Middle East.

Twentynine Palms is the largest Marine Corps base in the world, employing thousands of Americans and driving the economy in neighboring cities.

After their service, many veterans settle in the 36th CongressionalDistrict with their families. I spoke with the Family Readiness Officer, Jessica Arthur, to discuss how to prepare active duty Marines to transition to the civilian workforce.


I believe it is important that we support our troops. Since taking office:

  • I have voted for a 2.3% pay increase for servicemembers
  • I have supported the Military Tuition Assistance Program, which allows servicemembers to be reimbursed for tuition expenses from classes taken when they are off-duty
Dr. Ruiz eats lunch with Marines at Littleton Mess Hall
Dr. Ruiz eats lunch with Marines at Littleton Mess Hall.

That support does not end when servicemembers transition out of the military. As a Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee I have worked to improve this transition process. I created Veterans University, an opportunity for the community to come together to provide education, training, and solutions to improve the lives of veterans. My office will host Veterans University on June 25th and 26th – please click below to receive updates on this event.

I was honored and impressed by the great work the Marines are doing at Twentynine Palms. On behalf of the 36th Congressional District of California, thank you to all the service members and their families at Twentynine Palms and across the country who work tirelessly and sacrifice so much in service to our nation.

Sincerely,
Rep. Ruiz Signature
Raul Ruiz, M.D.
Member of Congress
Issues:Veterans