Contact: Donna Bigler, 240-777-6530
For Immediate Release: October 4, 2001

Duncan Takes First Flight Out of Reagan National;
Announces Benefits for Military Reservists; and
Displays Students’ Messages to Public Safety Workers

After boarding the first flight out of Reagan National Airport in 23 days early this morning, Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan outlined a benefits package designed to assist military reservists who work for the County government, and announced that the thousands of cards, letters and momentos sent to firefighters and emergency workers by local schoolchildren would be displayed in the main lobby of the Executive Office Building in downtown Rockville. Duncan was the only Maryland official on the U.S. Airways flight, but he was joined by other metropolitan area leaders on the 7 a.m. trip from Reagan to LaGuardia Airport and back.

“Maryland needs this airport, the metropolitan area needs this airport, and the nation needs this airport,” said Duncan. “We cannot get our economy back on track until we return to the skies for fast, efficient transportation. We also need to get back to the business of living and traveling and being part of the nation – and air travel is essential to our recovery.”

Duncan returned from his roundtrip flight to publicly thank the thousands of school children in Montgomery County who sent tokens of their appreciation to the County’s fire and rescue workers following the September 11 attacks. At a noontime event in Rockville, Duncan presented a large box of cards and letters to members of the County’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team, and he officially opened a display of the messages and teddy bears sent in by the students from more than 30 County schools. Along with the USAR Team, Duncan was joined at the event by Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jerry Weast, Fire Administrator Gordon Aoyagi, and students from Fallsmead Elementary School in Rockville. The display will be open to the public throughout October, and can be visited weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the lobby of the Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street.

“Montgomery County is extremely proud of its public safety workers, and we are grateful to the many students who have offered their thanks and best wishes to this extraordinary group of men and women,” said Duncan. “And since we are equally proud of the County employees who serve our nation as members of the military reserve, we want to be absolutely sure that they know they have our support, as well, in these difficult times.”

In a memo to County employees this week, officials outlined the County’s benefits for those who are called to active military duty. The County’s program exceeds federal and state requirements by providing military reservists a supplemental salary to make up any difference between the employee’s County salary and military compensation. In addition, 15 days of paid leave is provided to any employee called to active duty, and the same County group insurance will continue to be offered to employees while on active military duty.

Employees called to active duty may also use any accrued annual leave, and they retain reinstatement rights to their County jobs and accrued seniority.