I want to convey to you all my gratitude and sincere appreciation for the wonderful support you showed me upon my arrival at the SLO Regional Airport on July 4.

It was overwhelming to see so many Central Coast residents express their affection for returning service members. While it may be that our Central Coast has a relatively small military footprint, the hearts of those who demonstrate their support for service members and their families are very large. My only regret is that I was unable to individually thank everyone in attendance. Again, a heartfelt “thank you” to all of you. It will be a memory that will last a lifetime for me.