Former Adjutant General of Pennsylvania and Commander of Pennsylvania National Guard Nominated to Lead Reserve Affairs
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is voicing his support for the nomination of Westmoreland County native Jessica Wright to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, a post which oversees reserve activities for all branches of the military.
Jessica Wright currently serves as Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, and was formerly Adjutant General of Pennsylvania and Commander of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
“Jessica Wright has the leadership qualities and management skills that will optimally position our Ready Reserve for the 21st Century,” Senator Casey continued. “She has proven herself at the state and national level.”
Senator Casey’s full letter to Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin is below:
The Honorable Carl Levin
Chairman
Senate Committee on Armed Services
Dear Mr. Chairman:
I am writing to strongly support the nomination of Mrs. Jessica L. Wright to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. I have known Mrs. Wright for many years, working extensively with her during her tenure as the 50th Adjutant General and the Commander of the Pennsylvania National Guard. Mrs. Wright was the second female Adjutant General to serve nationally. In this position, she performed exceptionally well, leading the state's National Guard through the training, mobilization, and deployment of 20,000 troops to various conflicts and peacekeeping operations around the world. I am confident Mrs. Wright’s talents and qualifications make her an excellent choice to serve in this position.
As Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs since November 2010, Mrs. Wright has skillfully managed the myriad of matters affecting the 1.1 million members of the Ready Reserve and their families. Mrs. Wright has excelled in managing successful and multiple mobilizations throughout Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, ensuring the provision of robust health services to our men and women in uniform, and facilitating the successful reintegration and transition of servicemembers back into their communities and families.
The new strategy set by the Secretary of Defense calls for an Operational Reserve that will be regularly activated in the coming years. Jessica Wright has the leadership qualities and management skills that will optimally position our Ready Reserve for the 21st Century. She has proven herself at the state and national level.
Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
United States Senator
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