Veteran of the Month

Floor Speech

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Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Colonel Jason M. Brock who served 32 years in the Tennessee Air National Guard.

Colonel Brock began his military career as an enlisted member in 1991 and worked hard during his service to earn a bachelor of science degree from the University of Tennessee in 1994.

In 1998, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Since then, Colonel Brock has served in a variety of assignments as a logistics readiness officer and a maintenance officer, and has deployed numerous times in support of multiple operations including Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Southern and Northern Watch, Joint Guard, and Noble Eagle.

During his assignment as director of staff for the State of Tennessee Air, he also supported many domestic operations, including Tennessee's military response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colonel Brock plans to retire this year, and it is a well-earned retirement, Madam Speaker. He plans to spend more time with his wife and his two sons on family outings to the lake and camping. He also has his private pilot license, and he looks forward to enjoying more time in the sky.

Our country's heroes are the men and women of our armed services, like Colonel Brock, who served and sacrificed for our freedom. It is my honor to recognize Colonel Jason Brock as the Tennessee Second District's January 2023 Veteran of the Month. Midway IGA

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Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate Joe and Dale Longmire on selling Midway IGA and retiring from the grocery business.

Claude and Ruby Longmire started Longmire Grocery in Corryton in 1947. They raised Joe and Dale in the grocery business, and they worked very hard in this their entire lives.

In 1988, Madam Speaker, Joe and Dale bought the Midway IGA right there on Tazewell Pike, as you well know.

Joe and Dale say the community has been very good to the Longmires, and the Midway IGA has been very good to the community. They have been great friends of mine. When you go in there, Madam Speaker, local kids work there. They work the counters and they work everywhere. They have some of the best fried chicken--I believe it is actually called broasted fried chicken--that I have ever had, except, of course, what my wife and my sweet mama used to make.

Of course, my family and I trade at the IGA on a regular basis, and the Longmires supported me when I first ran for mayor. They were some of the first people who came out and supported me. They had a fundraiser for me at their house. They live on Emory Road, the same road I live on now. Emory Road is a very long road, Madam Speaker. I actually went to the wrong end of Emory Road, and I was 1 hour late to my own fundraiser; but it just increased the anticipation of my arrival.

The Longmire brothers have said that nothing about the store will change, which I am very glad to hear. Midway IGA has been great to our community, and I hope we don't lose that.

I wish their sister, Leesa, the best as she sticks around the store as their scanning manager. I wish Joe and his wonderful wife, Becky-- who has been a dear friend to me and my girls a long time--and Dale and his wife, Ellen, the best in their retirement.

Joe plans to finish a book he has been researching about the history of Corryton. I look forward to getting an autographed copy which I am sure I will pay dearly for.

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