Mobile Courant

Last week, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama met with Dr. Troy Meink, President Trump's nominee for Secretary of the Air Force. The conversation took place during Dr. Meink's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington. This exchange focused on the future of engineering within the Air Force.

Senator Tuberville posed a question about retaining skilled engineers within the military, stating, “We’re gonna have a tough time keeping good engineers and people employed because of the private companies taking our good people away out of the military. What’s your thoughts and your plan of hopefully keeping the best and the brightest in the military instead of taking the private route?”

In response, Dr. Meink emphasized the importance of mission-driven research and opportunity for personal success over monetary incentives. He stated, “Thanks for the question, Senator. And just kind of to echo, I think it’s not just money. I think it is the opportunity to do advanced research, do advanced engineering that has a mission outcome... I think in many cases, that’s even more important than just pure funding or pure salary.”

Senator Tuberville serves on multiple Senate committees, including the Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.