General receives warm welcome from the city

Newly-promoted Fort Rucker commander, Major General James Barclay, met and greeted Enterprise residents at a Rawls restaurant welcome reception Thursday evening.

The event, hosted by the Enterprise Chamber of Commerce, featured Mayor Kenneth Boswell presenting Barclay and his wife Debbie care packages and a key to the city.

Boswell, fresh from a trip to New York, said Enterprise is becoming a melting pot city much like the Big Apple.

“Fort Rucker really helps in that,” said Boswell. “Fort Rucker creates jobs, affects lives and helps the economy.”

Boswell said the presence of helicopters overhead and the military men and women in uniform is a constant reminder of the freedom to which the Fort Rucker community contributes.

“I invite everyone—if you don’t know a soldier, get to know one,” said Boswell.

Barclay, a native of Scottsboro and a Alabama football fan, assumed his post as commanding general of Fort Rucker and the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence in July. He spoke to the more than 100 attendees in the Rawls ballroom, and recalled recovery efforts after the March 2007 tornado.

“We all did it by responding together,” said Barclay. “Fort Rucker is really a family and I thank everyone for making us part of your family.”

Barclay said he has asked other base commanders about their surrounding towns and their contribution to the community, but many of them can only name one or two. He credited Daleville, Enterprise, Ozark, Dothan, Opp and others for embracing Fort Rucker.

“One thing I’ve seen is that other bases are not very connected to the community,” said Barclay. “Keeping up those relationships almost seems like a requirement, but not here.”

Barclay said during his term at Fort Rucker, he hopes to continue improving what has already been started.

“On-base housing improvements are always at the top,” he said. “Just taking care of military families and improving their quality of life, and doing that with the Enterprise community.”

Barclay said he expects to see even more flight students come through Fort Rucker in coming years and the upcoming change in presidential administration should not affect operations because a five-year budget is already in place.