Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, recently welcomed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to Mississippi. Their visit emphasized the state's increasing significance in the national defense industrial base and its support of American military personnel.

During the visit, Wicker and Hegseth stopped at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Tupelo. There, they interacted with the Mississippi National Guard and participated in operations involving Apache attack helicopters. They also visited the General Atomics facility in Tupelo, where they received a briefing on advanced military technology, including hypersonic capabilities. Hegseth and Wicker were also present at the event "A Southern Salute to the Troops," supported by organizations such as Purple Heart Homes and 7 Days for the Troops.

In a separate event, Chairman Wicker delivered a keynote speech at the University of Mississippi's National Center for Narrative Intelligence. He spoke about cognitive warfare capabilities and their importance in enhancing national defense readiness against threats from nations like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.

"It was great to host Secretary Hegseth in Mississippi this week as we engaged with some of our state’s best-in-class defense capabilities. I am glad that the Secretary saw firsthand why our state is increasingly becoming a powerhouse in military technology and preparedness,” Wicker stated. “As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will always showcase Mississippi’s leading contributions for the warfighter and work to expand our state’s growing role in the defense industrial base. I also appreciate Secretary Hegseth’s continued partnership as we both work to reform and rebuild to achieve one of President Trump’s most important promises to the American people: the restoration of peace through strength.”