>> FROM OUR STATE HOUSE STUDIO IN MONTGOMERY, I'M TODD STACY.

WELCOME TO CAPITOL JOURNAL.

IT'S BEEN A SLOW MONDAY AS EVERYONE TRIES TO COPE WITH SPRINGING FORWARD AN HOUR, BUT THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE WILL RETURN TO ACTION TOMORROW.

LAWMAKERS WILL RESUME THEIR SPECIAL SESSION IN WHICH THEY ARE CONSIDERING THE LAST ROUND OF FEDERAL COVID RELIEF FUNDING AND THE PAYING BACK OF THE ALABAMA TRUST FUND.

HERE'S HOW THE WEEK IS LIKELY TO BREAKDOWN TIME WISE.

ON TUESDAY, THE HOUSE WILL TAKE UP THE ARPA FUNDING BILL ON THE FLOOR, WHILE THE SENATE TAKES UP THE ALABAMA TRUST FUND REPAYMENT BILL.

BOTH ARE EXPECTED TO PASS AND BE TRANSMITTED TO THE OTHER CHAMBER FOR A FIRST READING.

THEN ON WEDNESDAY, A SENATE COMMITTEE WILL TAKE UP THE ARPA FUNDS WHILE A HOUSE COMMITTEE TAKES UP THE TRUST FUND PAYMENT.

AND FINALLY ON THURSDAY, BOTH BILLS ARE EXPECTED TO PASS THEIR SECOND CHAMBER AND BE SENT TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HER SIGNATURE.

JUST LIKE SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK.

HOUSE SPEAKER NATHANIEL LEDBETTER SAID HE DID NOT SEE ANY REASON THE HOUSE WOULDN'T PASS THE BILL IN SHORT ORDER.

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>> I FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING HAS GONE WELL.

THE LEARNING PROCESS THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO THE MEMBERS, THEY KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT, WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

I EXPECT TO SEE IT ON THE FLOOR BY THURSDAY AND SENATE BY THAT, AFTER THAT.

ANYTHING HOPEFUL FOR THAT AFTER THAT?

>> NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT, YEAH, WE'VE SPENT MANY, MANY HOURS AND IN GREAT DETAIL.

PEOPLE FROM THE BUDGET PROCESS, ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT INFORMATION FROM THE TREASURY TO BE SURE WE USE THE MONEY RIGHT.

AND AS FAR AS THE NUMBERS GO, HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB, GIVEN US ALL OF THE INFORMATION WE NEED.

DIRECTOR POOLE HAS BEEN WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.

>> SOME HAVE ASKED WHY LAWMAKERS AND THE GOVERNOR ADHERED SO CLOSELY TO THE USE OF MONEY GOING TO HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE AND BROADBAND INTERNET.

SENATE GENERAL FUND BUDGET CHAIRMAN GREG ALBRITTON EXPLAINED THAT THE RULES AROUND THIS SECOND ROUND OF MONEY DID NOT ALLOW FOR REVENUE REPLACEMENT FUNDS, WHICH IS HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO SPEND $400 MILLION ON NEW PRISON CONSTRUCTION LAST TIME.

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>> THE GUIDELINES ARE NOT CHANGED THAT MUCH IF AT ALL.

ALL RIGHT.

THE DIFFERENCE IS, LAST YEAR, WE HAD THE LOST REVENUE CALCULATION THAT WAS ALLOWED WHEREIN, THE STATE WAS ABLE TO MAKE A CALCULATION BASED ON THE FORMULA THE FEDS GAVE US HOW MUCH OF THAT BILLION DOLLARS COULD BE CONSIDERED AS LOST REVENUE OF THE STATE.

AND WITH THAT, THAT WAS CONSIDERED STRAIGHT REVENUE TO THE STATE WITHOUT THE GUIDELINES.

OKAY.

SO, WE HAD A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITY TO DO MANY THINGS.

THIS YEAR, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT.

THERE'S NOLOS REVENUE CALCULATION.

ALL MONEY IS SUBJECT TO THE GUIDELINES AND THAT'S THE MORE RESTRICTIVE ASPECT OF THIS.

>> WITH THE SPECIAL SESSION TAKING US THROUGH THURSDAY, THAT MEANS THE REGULAR SESSION WON'T RESUME FOR ANOTHER WEEK ON MARCH 21.

AND WE ALSO WON'T GET A DETAILED LOOK AT THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGETS UNTIL THEN EITHER.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THE GOVERNOR TO SUBMIT HER BUDGET ON THE SECOND DAY OR THE REGULAR SESSION, WHICH HASN'T HAPPENED YET.

FINANCE DIRECTOR BILL POOLE DID BRIEF LAWMAKERS ON WHAT THEY COULD EXPECT TO SEE BROADLY FROM THE GOVERNOR'S EDUCATION BUDGET.

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>> CAPITAL PROJECTS TARGETING K12 AND HIGHER EDUCATION NEEDS, PREFERABLY MAINTENANCE AND KECK, NOT SPECIFICALLY THAT, BUT WE HEARD AND KNOW VERY WELL THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE JOBS THAN WE HAVE PEOPLE TO FILL THEM.

WE'VE GOT TO GET MORE PEOPLE TRAINED AND READY IN THE WORK FORCE.

THAT'S A CONSTANT THING ACROSS ALL OF OUR EFFORTS IN TERMS OF EDUCATION INVESTMENTS.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH TONIGHT'S GUESTS.

>> JOINING ME NEXT, CAM WARD, DIRECTOR OF THE BOARD OF PARDONS AND PATROLS.

CAM, THANKS FOR COMING ON.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME BACK, TODD.

>> TALKING ABOUT THE REALM OF STATE GOVERNMENT, FIRST THING I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT WAS THE BIG CONTROVERSY MORE THAN A MONTH AGO, WITH THE RELEASE OF INMATES EARLY, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW REQUIRING THAT INMATES SET TO BE RELEASED ANY WAY GOT OUT EARLY WITH THE STIPULATION THAT THEY BE MONITORED ELECTRONICALLY.

AND THIS IS WHERE YOUR AGENCY COMES IN.

WELL, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED THE LAW IN 2021, ROUGHLY 18 MONTHS LATER REQUIRED BOTH THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO IMPLEMENT IT.

AND SO FAR, ABOUT 513 PEOPLE RELEASED.

MEANS THAT THEY WERE WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF COMPLETING THEIR SENTENCE.

AND 12 MONTHS, EOS, END OF SENTENCE, THEN THE STATE OF ALABAMA HAS NO JURISDICTION OVER YOU WHATSOEVER.

SO, WE'RE REQUIRED TO LET THEM, GIVE MONITORING AND PRETTY INTENSIVE SUPERVISION OF WHAT THEY DO EVERYDAY.

WE HAD A TOTAL OF 35 OF THEM ALREADY OFF THE MONITORS, THEY ARE EOS, DONE, COMPLETED THE SENTENCE IN ALABAMA AND WE HAVE NO MORE JURISDICTION.

OUT OF THE 513, FOUR PERCENT HAVE ACTUALLY COMMITTED A NEW OFFENSE WHICH WE PUT THEM BACK IN PRISON FOR.

AND ALMOST ALL OF THE NEW OFFENSES WERE DRUG RELATED, DRUG POSSESSION, DRUG USE PROBLEM AND 25 OUT OF THAT NUMBER THAT WE HAD TO SEND BACK TO PRISON.

>> I KNOW IT WAS NOT YOUR LAW OR YOUR BILL.

BUT TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT WAS TALKED ABOUT HE IT WAS PASSED.

WAS THE VIRTUE, LIKE YOU SAID, IN THE SENTENCE, YOU WALK OUT OF THE JAIL OR PRISON, END OF SENTENCE, GOOD LUCK.

AND WAS THE IDEA FOR THIS TO BE, OKAY, LET'S MONITOR THOSE WHO ARE SET TO BE RELEASED IN ORDER TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM IN SOME WAY.

>> FEDERALDATEA, TYPICALLY, DOJ, FBI, IF YOU HAVE SUPERVISION IN BETWEEN THE INCARCERATION AND TIME WALKING FREE THERE'S A BETTER CHANCE OF YOU NOT COMMITTING A NEW CRIME.

AND YOU SAY, 10 YEARS IN, AND YOU GET OUT 9 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS AND YOU HAVE NINE MONTHS TO GO.

SO, NINE MONTHS ON SUPERVISION, THEY ARE GETTING A PLAN, AND WHATEVER THEY NEED ONCE YOU REACH THE END OF THE 10 YEAR PERIOD, YOU WALK OUT THE DOOR AND WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO SUPER ADVISE YOU OR TREAT YOU.

AND THAT WAS THE KIND OF THINKING THAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS COMING UP IN 2021 AND THEY ASKED US, THEY SAID, IF WE GIVE YOU THE TOOLS FOR THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING WOULD THAT HELP KEEP UP WITH THE FOLKS THAT THEY STAY ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW.

ABSOLUTELY YES IT DOES.

AND THAT MONITORING WHICH WE MONITORED UNDER THE 2021 ACT, WE'VE FOUND THAT TOOL HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.

>> AND THERE WERE OF COURSE A LOT OF HEADLINES, POLITICS, AND YOU SAY, HEY, ALL OF THESE PRISONERS ARE GETTING OUT OF JAIL.

>> RIGHT, AND THERE'S A RIFLE CONCERN, AND YOU THINK, OH MY GOODNESS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A CONCERN.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU, WE WERE GIVEN THE FUNDS TO DO THIS AND WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB MONITORING EVERYBODY WHO PASSED THAT LAW.

>> AND I REMEMBER WHEN THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WAS BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE, KIND OF DURING ALL OF THIS, AND THEY KEPT SAYING, PROBLEM WITH VICTIM NOTIFICATION, YOU KNOW, NOTIFY THE VICTIM'S FAMILY AND IS THAT ONE OF THE LESSONS WE'VE TAKEN AWAY FROM THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS IN THIS LAW.

>> I THINK WE HAVE A BROKEN VICTIM'S NOTIFICATION SYSTEM ANY WAY.

NOBODY'S FAULT BUT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB.

BUT RIGHT NOW, GRANTED REGULAR PATROL, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE NOTICE TO THE VICTIM'S FAMILY AND UNDER THE MANDATORY SUPERVISION LAW, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS NEEDS TO GIVE THE NOTIFICATION.

>> SO TWO SEPARATE AGENCIES.

>> RIGHT, AND THEN ALEA, THEY WERE TO NOTIFY.

YOU NEED A NOTIFIED NOTIFICATION SYSTEM AND IT'S A LONG TERM PROJECT.

AND DOC WAS CORRECT IN SAYING, WHOA, WE GOT STUCK WITH THIS PART AND WE'RE NOT PREPARED FOR THIS.

AND PARDONS AND PAROLES ARE, WELL, WE DO IT OVER HERE BUT NOT WITH YOU.

SO, THERE NEEDS TO BE A UNIFIED SYSTEM SO ALL OF US ARE WORKING FROM ONE DATABASE AND ONE SYSTEM NOT A HODGE-PODGE CREATED OVER THE YEARS.

AND THINK WE CAN DO BETTER LONG TERM.

>> MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

I WONDER IF WE'LL SEE LEGISLATION TO THAT EFFECT.

LET'S SWITCH GEARS.

I KNOW THAT ONE OF YOUR BIG PRIORITIES RECENTLY, PATROL REENTRY EDUCATION, PREP, ALL ABOUT REDUCED RECIDIVISM AND GETTING THEM ON THE RIGHT PATH.

TELL ME ABOUT THE PREP AND HOW IT'S GOING.

>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN THE AGENCY, WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN PATROLLED OR -- PAROLLED OR ONCE THEY ARE SENT BEFORE OR AFTER INCARCERATED.

WE DEAL WITH YOU AFTER YOU ARE NOT INCARCERATED.

SO WHAT ARE YOU DEALING WITH, I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK, AND WE DEAL WITH THE PREP CENTER, UNIONTOWN ALABAMA, VACATED PRISON SYSTEM.

AND THE STATE GAVE US THE MONEY.

WE PURCHASED IT AND USING IT AS RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION FACILITY NO LONGER IN PRISON BUT PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED.

WE PUT THEM IN THERE WITH MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, DRUG TREATMENT, CASE BY CASE BASIS DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON AND JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS.

AND WHAT WE FOUND, IF YOU GO THROUGH THE JOB TRAINING AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM AND MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG TREATMENT, THE RECIDIVISM GOES FROM THE STATE RATE TO FOUR PERCENT!

THEY DON'T GO BACK TO PRISON.

SO, WE HAVE PEOPLE PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED AND NOW GETTING CERTIFICATES OF WORK, STARTING OFF WITH JOBS, AND MAKING OVER $50,000 OR $60,000 AND ONE STARTED MAKING OFF $85,000 A YEAR.

AND THEY ARE FREE AND CLEAN OF DRUGS.

AND 15 PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS CONTACT US AND SAYING WE WANT SOME OF YOUR PEOPLE TO COME WORK FOR US.

WILL YOU HELP US.

SO THAT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, THINK IT'S GOING TO MAKE A LONG TERM DENT IN RECIDIVISM WE CAN GET THEM CLEAN, HELPED FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SOMETHING WE WANT TO PURSUE.

>> IS THIS VOLUNTARY, DO YOU SHOW UP VOLUNTARILY OR WHAT?

>> IT'S PART OF YOUR PROBATION OR PAROLE.

BUT SO FAR THERE'S A GREAT SUCCESS ABOUT IT AND YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IT RAMPED UP AND BENEFIT THAT IT PROVIDES AND YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THIS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE AROUND THE STATE.

AND THE PREP CENTER BEING OUR 12TH ONE, I CAN SEE IT EASILY DOUBLING THAT NUMBER.

MY GOAL IS BY THE YEAR 2030 WE SEE RECIDIVISM IN ALABAMA GOING FROM 30% TO 4%.

AND WE'LL GO TO SOMEWHERE IN THE TOP FIVE BEST OF THE COUNTRY.

AND IF WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THESE PROGRAMS LIKE THE LEGISLATURE HAS HERE.

>> YOU SAID 30% TO 4 PERCENT?

>> YEAH, AND THE DATA BACKS IT UP.

AND YOU HAVE TO INVEST THE RESOURCES AND BE MISSION RESOURCES FOCUSED ON IT.

>> AND YOU PRESENTED YOUR BUDGET, SPEAKING OF THAT, TO THE LEGISLATURE AND YOU WERE ONE OF MANY STATE AGENCIES SAYING YOU ARE FEELING THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION AND GAS PRICES BECAUSE YOUR PAROLE OFFICERS DO A LOT OF DRIVING.

>> RIGHT, 800 EMPLOYEES AND 630 EMPLOYEES ARE PURE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE FIELD EVERYDAY OUT WORKING AND CHECKING ON PEOPLE, COMPLYING WITH THE PROBATION ISSUES AND THAT MEANS, GAS, GAS.

AND WITH THE PRICE, IT REALLY CHEWS IN OUR BUDGET.

AND WE'VE KIND OF MOVED IT AROUND TO COVER SHORTFALLS.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, GAS PRICES IMPACT THE AGENCIES LIKE PARDONS AND PAROLE, DHR, ALEA WHO HAVE OFFICERS OUT IN THE FIELD AND THEY HAVE TO DRIVE SOMEWHERE AND LONG DISTANCES TO ACCOMPLISH GOALS.

THE GAS PRICES CONTINUE GOING UP AND IT'S GOING TO EAT INTO OUR BUDGETS.

>> SO, SUDDENLY, THOSE BUDGET SURPLUSES WE WERE LOOKING AT MAYBE NOT SO MUCH WITH ALL OF THE EXPENSES.

>> INFLATION, FINANCIAL INSTABILITY IN THE MARKETS.

THE BUDGETS EVEN THOUGH THE SURPLUS LOOKS GOOD WITH THE ARPA AND THE FEDERAL STIMULUS, YOU CAN'T SUSTAIN THAT.

I THINK THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO BE WISE AND LOOKING AT, THEY WANT TAX RELIEF, ISSUES LIKE THAT, AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, GAS PRICES ARE GOING TO DICTATE HOW MUCH THEY ARE GOING TO KEEP UP WITH TO SUPERVISE.

>> AND IF THE BUDGETS START GETTING CUT AND AGENCIES ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE THAT SEE THAT.

>> ALWAYS ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE AND THINK THERE'S LEGISLATURES THAT AGREE WITH ME ON THIS.

I THINK WHAT YOU WILL SEE, THE EETF, AND ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE, THE BIGGEST AGENCIES THAT HIT MINE, ALEA, GAS PRICES AND IF YOU SEE THAT GOING UP THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE WATCHED AND MONITORED AREN'T GOING TO BE WATCHED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.

>> AND YOU KNOW, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

CAM WARD, THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING ON THE SHOW.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, TODD.

>> RYAN RICHARDSON COMMANDER OF THE 42ND WINNING AND MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE HERE IN MONTGOMERY.

THANKS FOR COMING ON "CAPITOL JOURNAL."

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> I WANTED TO HAVE YOU ON, ABOUT THE OPERATION WELCOME HOME, SPECIAL SERIES OF EVENTS THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT HERE ON THE BASE IN MONTGOMERY.

FIRST, FOR EACH OF YOU, I HOPE YOU MAY INDULGE US IN TELLING US WHAT YOUR ROLE IS HERE AT MAXWELL.

COLONEL, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

>> SURE, WE GET THAT WHEN WE'RE AROUND TIME.

42 AIR BASE WINNING WING IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THAT.

WE RUN EVERYTHING ON BASE.

MAYBE THE MAYOR IS A GOOD ANALOGY IN THE CONVERSATION.

WE GENERALLY GET DOWN TO THAT POINT.

42 MISSION PARTNERS THAT SERVE ON THE INSTALLATION.

AIR UNIVERSITY AND GENERAL TULLES AND TEAM.

AND WE'RE THERE TO GIVE INFORMATION AND COMBAT MEDICS MAKING SURE ALL OF THE PARTNERS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.

OUR ROLE IS TO LEAD THE INSTALLATION.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND AS COMMAND CHIEF, I WORK ALONG SIDE AS SENIOR ENLISTED LEADER.

AND IN THE AIR FORCE, 80% OF OUR UNIFORM ACTIVE DUTY ARE ENLISTED AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE TRAINED, HAVE THE TOOLS, EDUCATION, WHERE WITH ALL, ESPRIT DECORP AND I'M PROUD TO DO IT ALONG SIDE THIS GUY.

>> WELL, YOU HAVE A SPECIAL EVENT, OPERATION WELCOME HOME.

WALK ME THROUGH THE ORDINANCE AND WHAT THIS HAS BEEN A PART OF MONTGOMERY.

>> THIS MARKS THE END OF THENCE VERSE OF THE VIETNAM CONFLICT AND MARKS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE OPERATION HOME COMING GETTING THE PRISONERS HOME.

MAXWELL SERVED AS ONE OF 10 INSTALLATION FOR THE REPATRIOTISM OF PRISONERS OF WAR.

AND IN 1973, THEY WERE REPATRIOTED HERE AND IT'S OUR POINT TO SAY THANK YOU AND ACKNOWLEDGE AND SEE THE SACRIFICES OF SO MANY.

NOW, WE'VE SERVED NORTH OF 20 YEARS AND WHEN WE COME BACK FROM THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE THE COUNTRY, YOU GET THE 10% OFF AT LOWE'S, FREE BEVERAGE AND MEAL WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

AND I WOULD OFFER THAT I DON'T THINK MANY OF OUR VIETNAM VETS RECEIVED THAT.

SO, IN THAT SERIES OF EVENTS GOING ON NOW, AND MORE COMING.

>> RIGHT, KICKED IT OFF ON THE 14TH OF FEBRUARY, PANEL OF 3 PRISONERS OF WAR.

ALL THREE ARE WERE REPATRIOTED AT MAXWELL.

AND IT'S ONLINE.

AND THIS SUNDAY, WE HAD TRAVELING VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL AND OTHER WAR MEMORIALS ENCOMPASSED IN THE TRUCK ARRIVING IN THE RIVER REGION.

STOPPED AT PRATTVILLE AND HAD NEARLY 40 MOTORCYCLES, VIETNAM VETERANS AND KNOWS THAT ESCORTED IT ON THE INSTALLATION AND INSTALLED YESTERDAY MORNING.

THIS MORNING, KICKOFF EVENT FOR 24 RELAY RACE.

AND KEEP THE FLAG IN PERPETUAL MOTION FOR 24 HOURS.

IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR FROM PRISONERS IN WAR AND CAPTAIN LEE ROBERTS LONGEST ENLISTED NORTH OF 2700 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY AND WE GOT TO MEET HE AND HIS WIFE THIS MORNING.

THAT'S GOING TO TRANSITION INTO TOMORROW ENDING THE 24 HOUR RELAY.

AND WE HAVE CHILDREN COMING GRADES 6, 7 COMING TO THE WALL WALKING THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS TOMORROW AFTERNOON.

AND THEN FOR THE PUBLIC ON WEDNESDAY.

0800, THE AIR FORCE BASE IS GOING TO BE OPEN TO ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY AND ANYBODY, A VETERAN TO BE COME AND RECOGNIZED WRIT LARGE AND AND WE SERVE ALL OF THEM.

THE IMAGES AND PRISONERS OF WAR FLOWN BACK, GETTING OFF THE PLANE AND I'M THINKING OF THE APT DOCUMENTARY OF JEREMIAH DENTON AND ALL OF WHAT HIS CAREER MET.

AND THOSE IMAGES ARE JUST SEARING GLETTING THE TOTER AND GETTING -- TORTURE AND GETTING OFF THE PLANES.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW THE STORY UNTIL I SAW IT ON THE TV.

AND THESE MEN PRISONERS OF WAR, DIRECTLY FROM THEM THE STORIES, IT'S A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY.

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S INSPIRING FOR ALL OF THE AIRMEN, AND SERVICES MEMBERS AT MAXWELL GUNTER.

AND AS COLONEL SAID, WE'RE EXPERIENCED DIFFERENTLY FROM WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED.

AND IT'S THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF VOLUNTEER FORCE AT THE END OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

WE VOLUNTEERED AND RAISED RIGHT HAND AND SAID THIS IS WHAT WE WANT WITH OUR LIFE AND THIS IS WHAT WE WANT ON THE BASE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND THE VIETNAM VETERANS COMING ON TO THE BASE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

CERTAINLY A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE AND PRISONERS OF WAR.

NONE OF US WEARING THE UNIFORM, HANDFUL OF AIRMEN BEEN PRISONERS OF WAR BUT NOT THE SAME EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH.

AND HOW DARE WE EVER FORGET THAT.

WE CAN'T FORGET THAT.

AND SO WE GO THROUGH IT THIS WEEK TO BE SURE WE NEVER FORGET THEM AND HONOR THEM APPROPRIATELY.

>> AND THE EMOTION IS PALPABLE.

MANY HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE WALL IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND THIS GIVES OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY AMERICANS WHO HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE 58,000 NAMES OF THOSE WHO PERISHED DURING THE CONFLICT.

AND YOU THINK OF THAT COUPLED WITH THE OVER 80,000 UNACCOUNTED FOR AND THE ASSOCIATED FAMILY MEMBERS.

IT'S HARD NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT.

WE'RE HOPEFUL AND THANKFUL THAT WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY.

>> WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, FROM JUNIOR HIGH TO HIGH SCHOOL, BEING A PART OF THAT, SOMETIMES WHEN I TALKED TO THE VETERANS THEY MENTIONED THAT IN TERMS OF, LOOK, I DON'T NEED A CEREMONY OR THE MEDAL BUT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FORGET.

SO, FELLOW VETERANS WHO FELL, THOSE WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A SPECIAL COORDINATED EFFORT TO BE SURE IT HAPPENS AND KEEP THEIR MEMORIES ALIVE AND THE MEMORIES OF THEIR SERVICES AND TIME AS A PRISONER OF WAR AND -- >> AND MOVING AROUND THE TRACK FOR 24 HOURS THERE, AT THE SAME TIME 86,000 AMERICANS CURRENTLY MISSING IN ACTION, WE'LL READ EVERY ONE OF THOSE NAMES OUT LOUD AND THEY ARE BEING READ OUT AT THE TRACK OUT LOUD FOR THE 24 HOURS.

AND PART OF THAT IS JUST SAYING THEIR NAME OUT LOUD.

AND WE PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS TO BE SURE WE DO THAT.

>> AND MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, MAXWELL GUNTER IS SUCH A FOUNDATIONAL PART OF THE STATE AND THIS COMMUNITY, I KNOW FROM WORKING WITH YOU AT CONGRESS SO MUCH GOES INTO IT.

IT'S A BIG DEAL.

BUT NOT AN EVERYDAY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON AT MAXWELL GUNTER SO IS THIS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN THE GATES, HAVING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGE, COME IN AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

>> YEAH, IT SURE IS.

IT'S BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE WE'VE OPENED UP THE INSTALLATION TO THE COMMUNITY THE WAY WE ARE THIS WEEK.

TRADITIONALLY, IT'S OPEN HOUSE OR AIR SHOW.

AND BY THE WAY, BLUNGS ARE COMING TO BLUE ANGELS ARE COMING TO TOWN IN APRIL AND WE'LL HAVE THAT GOING ON.

BUT THIS IS WAY TO SAY THANK YOU AND HOW WE INTERACT WITH THE MUSCLE GROUPS AND INVITING THE COMMUNITY ON TO THE INSTALLATION TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE WHAT THE AIRMEN AND GUARDS ARE GOING THROUGH ON THE INSTALLATION AND NOT JUST THE GATE THAT THEY DRIVE THROUGH OR WHEN THEY CROSS THE RIVER ON THE WAY TO PRATTVILLE.

I WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE.

THIS IS THEIR INSTALLATION AND.

SO WE WORK WITH THE LOCAL LEADERS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO BY, WITH, AND THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE LIVE HERE, GO TO SCHOOLS, SPORTS, HAVE OUR CHILDREN AND LIVE HERE.

SO, WE WANT TO BE EARNESTLY PRESENT IN THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT'S MEANINGFUL AND WHETHER THAT MEANS HELPING BUILD A HOME, CLEANUP, BE IN SCHOOLS, HELP WHERE WE CAN, THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO, AS WE KIND OF STEP OUT OF COVID AND OTHER KIND OF MILESTONES AND JUST FIGURE HOW TO BE MORE PRESENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND HOW TO GET THE COMMUNITY ON THE INSTALLATION MORE.

>> AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT ONE.

I KNOW YOU ALREADY HAVE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT APPRECIATE JUST THE EFFORT.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICES.

THANK YOU, SIR.

>> WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL BE BACK TOMORROW NIGHT AT 10:30 WITH MORE COVERAGE OF THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE RIGHT HERE ON ALABAMA PUBLIC TELEVISION.

FOR THE "CAPITOL JOURNAL" TEAM, I'M TODD STACY.