Commander talks up Youngstown on Capitol Hill Published July 1, 2015 By Master Sgt. Bob Barko, Jr. 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Air Force Reserve 910th Airlift Wing Commander Col. James Dignan, based at Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS), Ohio, visited the congressional offices of 11 states during his third annual Capitol Hill visit, June 24 and 25, 2015. Dignan discussed the wing’s mission and several issues concerning the unit and installation during visits to the offices of the Ohio and Pennsylvania congressional delegations. The commander met with both Ohio senators, staff members for both Pennsylvania senators and members or staffers from House offices representing eight districts in the Buckeye state and two in the Keystone state. Hundreds of Servicemembers and Department of Defense civilian employees assigned to YARS are constituents in these congressional districts. The commander also visited congressional offices for the states of Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah and Virginia during the two-day trip. These visits highlighted the unit’s large area, fixed wing aerial spray capability. The commander wanted to make the legislators aware of the wing’s Department of Defense (DoD)-unique mission. He also wanted to share what the 910th brings to the Air Force Reserve and the DoD as well as how the wing’s mission contributes to the well-being of the populations of their states. “It is my job to tell them how YARS benefits all these states across the country,” said Dignan. “I want everyone to know why this little base in a cornfield in Northeast Ohio is militarily important to the United States.” According to Air Force Reserve Office of Policy Integration, the Capitol Hill Visit program enables wing commanders to meet annually with congressmen representing their areas. The primary purpose of the program is to assist commanders in improving and building on relationships established with congressional delegations and to increase their unit’s visibility with members of Congress.