Campbell County Fire Department’s John Pafford (left) and Cody Okray (right) help raise a flag over Enzi Drive outside Gillette College on August 6. The flag, donated by Natrona High School in Casper, was hoisted by Gillette and Senator Mike Enzi in honor of former Mayor.
Ashley Detrick, Gillette News Record
A little over a week ago I reported on the former Sen. Mike Enzi memorial in Gillette. In all honesty, I didn’t know much about his getting involved. Even so, it quickly became apparent how much respected a man was who had served as mayor, state legislature, and US senator throughout his long political career.
When I interviewed people in the service, I asked almost everyone what would remind them most of Enzi. Some of these memories made it into the article published after the memorial service, but some poignant ones didn’t.
Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat who was visibly emotional throughout the service, told me that Enzi was instrumental in helping her pass her first bill after she entered the Senate. She said it represented how kind and generous the late senator was.
Sara Burlingame, a former Wyoming representative and now executive director of Wyoming Equality, shared a story with me about how Enzi’s office was helping a transgender soldier.
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A three-step plan was put in place under the Obama administration to help soldiers change their “gender tags”. However, when a transgender soldier from Wyoming took up the concern with her general, a form was created that “downgraded” and essentially denied the request, Burlingame said. Burlingame took the problem to Enzi’s office and they made sure the request was met.
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