Lt. Col (ret) George Judson (Jud) Whitlock, a former pilot of Marine One and Marine Two, will be the guest speaker for the 2024 Veterans Day ceremony.

The ceremony is hosted by the City of Andalusia at the Covington Veterans Monument immediately following the Chamber of Commerce’s 10 a.m. Veterans Day parade.

Whitlock is a native of Memphis who was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating from Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis.

After completing The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, Va., he reported to flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, where he was designated a naval aviator in 1977.

Whitlock spent 22 of the next 24 years in the cockpit, and accumulated 5,300 accident-free hours in eight different aircraft.

Highlights of his career included selection to command two squadrons, one a tactical, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 (HMH-462) at MCAS Tustin, CA, and one a training, Marine Helicopter Training Squadron 301 (HMT-301) at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, HI.  Additionally, he was selected to be assigned to Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), where he became a White House Aircraft Commander and was a Marine One Co-Pilot and Marine Two Pilot during the Reagan/Bush administration. While assigned to HMX-1, one of his primary duties was as White House Liaison Officer (WHLO), and he was honored to perform advance work for Pope John Paul II’s trip to Los Angeles.

He performed various other flying assignments including Standardization Officer, NATOPS Model Manager, and multiple assignments in both the Operations and Maintenance Departments of tactical and training squadrons.  He was the Executive Officer of HMH-462 during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, commonly called the first Gulf War.

Staff assignments included two tours at Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) in the Manpower and Reserve Affairs Division, where he served as the Head of Officer Career Counseling and the Head of Prevention and Education Programs. 

He retired from the Marine Corps in January of 2000 with more than 24 years of service. Personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (two gold stars), Navy Commendation Medal (two gold stars), Air Medal (strike /flight numeral 3), Presidential Service Badge, Sea Service Deployment ribbon (with three stars), and the Kuwait Liberation Medal. 

After retiring, Whitlock used his experience in Marine aviation at Headquarters Marine Corps, Training and Education Command (TECOM), as a contractor supporting the Aviation Standards Branch (ASB) in Quantico, Virginia.  During this time, his extensive background in the Training and Readiness (T&R) process for training aircrew led to the design, development, and fielding of the Core Competency Resource Model (CCRM), an analytical process/model that objectively links training standards and readiness reporting levels to resource requirements. For the past 16 years, the CCRM Flight Hour Module has been the Marine Corps sole source justification tool for submission of Marine Corps flight hour budget, a $6.0B requirement. 

He and his wife, Gayle, moved to Andalusia in 2014. They are the parents of Dr. Shannon (Ronnie) Levitzke, Kyle Whitlock, and Megan (Matt) Brady, and the grandparents of 8 Jocelyn, Tyler, Mia, Abby, Claire, Paige, Molly, and Harrison.

Whitlock said his retirement goals include spoiling his grandchildren and reducing his handicap in golf.  

The locally selected collection offers content for readers of all ages from virtually every subject ranging from mystery, romance, children’s, business and more.

 PIN numbers are automatically set to patrons’ zip codes.

This service is compatible with all major computers and devices, iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phones and tablets and Chromebook™. Through Libby, readers can also “send to Kindle®” [U.S. only]. All titles will automatically expire at the end of the 14-day lending period and there are no late fees. Readers can also download titles onto Libby for offline use.

 Patrons currently using APL’s CloudLibrary service will be able to finish reading current selections but will need to migrate to Libby to continue enjoying ebooks, Mixson said.

 For assistance with the app, or to obtain a library card, patrons may visit Andalusia Public Library Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. or call 334-222-6612.

The Andalusia City Council last week approved an agreement with The Cottages at Packer Field, LLC to build 20 two-bedroom and three-bedroom cottages on the property currently known as Packer Field, and bordered by Packer Avenue and Snowden Drive.

City administrator John Thompson said the project is the culmination of years of work.

“We know that we have lost population in recent Censuses, and we believe the reason has been the lack of housing,” Thompson said. “We know we’ve lost at least one economic development project because we didn’t have housing available for the people who would have needed to relocate here.”

Thompson introduced Frank Thomas of Montgomery, who will build the workforce houses through the Cottages at Packer Field, LLC, and Kathleen M. Ferrell, CPM, of Enterprise, who will manage the rental properties.

Ferrell said the houses will be leased at “market rate.” The two-bedroom homes are approximately 1,200 square feet and will rent for about $1,525. The three-bedroom homes are approximately 1,450 square feet and will rent for $1,795.

“Our criteria for renting are strict,” she said, adding that tenants must have been employed for six months, show proof of income of at least three times the rental amount, and provide landlord references.

The City of Andalusia has had a long-held agreement to use Packer Field for its recreation programs, but the City’s Capital Improvement Cooperative District actually acquired the property within the last two years.

The agreement approved recently calls for the Cooperative District to deed a portion of the property to the LLC for the initial construction. Once those houses are built and leased, a second phase is expected to follow. The City Council will rebate the non-education sales taxes collected on construction-related purchases made within the City.

Once an engineering study is completed, the City and developers will decide whether the first phase will front on Snowden Drive or Packer Avenue.

The Andalusia City Council on Tuesday appointed Dr. Charles Eldridge to the Andalusia City Board of Education.

Dr. Eldridge was appointed to fill the vacancy in the District 5 position created by the untimely passing of longtime board member Dr. David McCalman. The Code of Alabama requires the City Council of the City of Andalusia to fill a vacancy within 30 days.

“Dr. McCalman served this community well, both as a physician and on the board of education,” Mayor Earl Johnson. “Dr. McCalman led the board through some important projects, and he will be missed.”

Similarly, he said, Dr. Eldridge has served the community in many roles.

“Almost everyone in Andalusia knows Charles Eldridge as ‘Dr. E,’ “ the mayor said of the long-time Andalusia pediatrician. “In both his professional and civic life, he has spent his efforts helping children.”

Eldridge currently chairs the Public Education Building Authority board, and in that role, led the effort to raise more than $1.1 million in private donations for the renovations of the Andalusia High School stadium and auditorium that were completed in 2019.

He previously also has served on the board of Andalusia Health, and the Covington County Child Advocacy Center.

Eldridge is expected to be sworn into office at the board’s next meeting.