CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said Sunday that he spent the weekend visiting American troops and military leaders in a surprise trip to Iraq and Kuwait along with four other U.S. governors.
“I was extremely impressed by the service ethic of all the service members who I met,” Quinn said. “They’ve made a tremendous advance here.”
Quinn, speaking to reporters Sunday from Kuwait, said the Department of Defense invited him on the Middle East trip. He said he left Friday morning from Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington before meeting Saturday in Baghdad with U.S. military leaders, including Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.
From there, Quinn said, the delegation had lunch and meetings with soldiers. He said the group continued to visit soldiers on Sunday and held a town hall meeting to take their questions.
The soldiers asked about military equipment, education needs and the American economy, he said.
“A number of service members are concerned about our economy,” Quinn said. “When they come back to civilian life, how does it look?”
Quinn said he could “see in the mess hall, in the chow halls, how united the soldiers are.” He said he met with members of the Illinois National Guard and Illinois members of the Marines.
Since he was elected as lieutenant governor in 2002, Quinn has emerged as one of the nation’s leading advocates for military members, their families and veterans. He ascended to the state’s highest office in January after indicted Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached.
Aides for Quinn said they could not disclose where the governor was traveling next or when he would return to Illinois, citing security reasons.
Quinn said he previously visited Iraq in 2004. He was joined on his latest trip by the governors of Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada and Texas.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
