Barksdale Air Force Base Senior Airman Tiffany Campbell performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” a capella as part of a Veterans Day tribute Wednesday at Centenary College’s Anderson Auditorium.
The morning ceremony featured remarks from 2nd Bomb Wing commander Col. Kristin Goodwin. She oversees more than 11,400 military and civilian personnel at Barksdale. In her eight-minute speech, Goodwin said war is an ugly thing, but freedom exists today because of the bravery and patriotism of those who’ve served.
From the Revolutionary War to the ongoing War on Terror, she said, more than 22 million Americans have donned the uniform with a single vision.
“I doubt we will ever agree on which service academy has the best football team, although the Air Force Academy is the reigning champs. But, we are united in our mission and our support to defend the Constitution upon which this great nation was founded,” Goodwin said.
The 1993 Air Force Academy graduate is the U.S.’s first female bomb wing commander. A training pilot with about 3,000 flight hours, Goodwin became leader of the nation’s largest strategic bomb wing in Aug. 2014.
“It is a true privilege to serve here in Northwest Louisiana where the support for our military is incredibly strong. We have a great team at Barksdale Air Force Base. We consider all of you our civic partners an important part of that team, part of our family,” Goodwin said.
Prior to coming to Barksdale, Goodwin was vice commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.
Centenary College president David Rowe said the Veterans Day tribute is now a collaborative tradition with the base.
He highlighted the college’s Yellow Ribbon Scholar program whereby all post-9/11 veterans and their dependents receive free tuition. Thirteen students are enrolled in Centenary’s Yellow Ribbon program.
