North Carolina Military Summits

One of the bigger things going on at the Governor's Eastern Office  is preparing for a series of military summits to be held this summer and fall.  I have been assisting Director Tate Johnson in planning and coordinating these summits.  There will be four mini-summits that will lead to a larger summit to be held later in the fall.  These summits will be a chance for the Governor to meet with military leaders, state and local officials, and North Carolina citizens on issues affecting the relationship between North Carolina and the armed forces.

I was totally unaware of how large a military presence we had in this state prior to arriving in New Bern and planning these summits.  We have here in our state significant bases for the Army, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard.  Governor Perdue often speaks to the military friendliness of the state and how much we value the presence of these forces in North Carolina.  The primary fighting force for the US Marine Corps is the Marine Expeditionary Unit.  The Corps has 7 MEUs spread across the globe; 3 of them are stationed here in the state.  The famous 82nd Airborne Division is based out of Fort Bragg.  No matter where American forces may be engaged in the world, there's a good chance they've been through the Tar Heel State.

The sites for the four mini-summits are listed below with their respective military installations.

1. Havelock, NC-  Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
2. Jacksonville, NC-  Camp Lejeune, Marine Corps Air Station New River
3. Goldsboro, NC-  Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
4. Fayetteville, NC-  Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base