Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Sen. Jack Reed presents Burrillville native Senior Master Sgt. Denise Spink-Morin of the 506th Expeditionary Communications Squadron with bags of Dunkin' Donuts coffee Thursday at Kirkuk Regional Air Base in Iraq. Below, Master Sgt. Cason Ramos, a first sergeant in the 506th and a Cranston native, presents Reed with a U.S. flag and a squadron coin. Photos courtesy of the Air Force

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, bearing his customary supply of Dunkin Donuts coffee for caffeine-deprived Rhode Islanders at war overseas, has paid a visit on local airmen at Kirkuk Regional Air Base in Iraq.

Reed and Sen. Ted Kaufman, fellow Democrats from Delaware, ate lunch Thursday with airmen from units in their states, according to a report by Senior Airman Jessica Lockoski. The two senators are on a fact-finding tour of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In addition to meeting with officials of these nations and U.S. military commanders and diplomats, Reed and Kaufman have scheduled visits with constituents stationed at military bases.

Among the Air Force units represented at Kirkuk are members of the 506th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, many of whom are assigned to the North Smithfield Air National Guard Station.

To learn that Reed "took time to visit with us is wonderful," said Senior Master Sgt. Denise Spink-Morin, a Burrillville native. "It is such a morale boost having him come all the way from Rhode Island," she said in Lockoski's account, released Friday by the Air Force.

Senior Master Sgt. Dianna Adams of West Warwick said that Reed's ability to talk about particular communities in the state "reminds me of home."

Reed also conjured up thoughts of Rhode Island by distributing the characteristic orange and pink bags of Dunkin' Donuts -- prompting Spink-Morin to joke that Ocean Staters practically use the indigenous roast intravenously.

 Tags  Burrillville RI Iraq Jack Reed West Warwick RI

Comments

Craig said:

It's cool reed brought them coffee, but he should bring a local band, like New Harvest or something, to support local businesses in this rough economy..

Link | April 18, 2009 1:17 PM
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