Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama, has been recognized as the recipient of the Association of Defense Community’s 2019 State Leadership Award.
Ivey and other ADC Award honorees were recognized Monday during a lunch ceremony at the 2019 Defense Communities Annual Summit.
Known as a champion for her state’s installations, defense communities and military service population, Gov. Ivey has championed wide-ranging legislation to improve the quality of life for service members and their families since 2017.
In May 2018, Ivey signed several service-related quality of life bills, including the Military Family Jobs Opportunity Act, which provides professional licensure reciprocity for military spouses across numerous state agencies. She also signed the Parks for Patriots bill, which grants free state parks admission to active or retired Alabama service members.
Ivey was also an integral part of the state’s campaign to secure the fifth-generation F-35 Fighter mission for the 187th Fighter Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base.
“While many people were involved in the multi-year selection process for the F-35 Fighter Wing, the governor led our state through this journey with distinction, and she was instrumental in bringing this next-generation aircraft to Montgomery,” U.S. Rep. Martha Roby (R-Ala.) said. “I am incredibly proud of Gov. Ivey’s leadership and commitment to Alabama’s military footprint,” Roby added.
Army photo by Sgt. William Frye