Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary praise work of Salvation Army

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw with Majors Mark and Susan Brown

During an extended visit to her home city of Birmingham, Alabama, USA, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended a reception for those who helped the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In the company of British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, the Secretary of State met with an invited audience of more than 300, including law enforcement officers, county and state emergency management officials, paramedics, firefighters, elected officials and representatives of faith-based and philanthropic aid groups.

Representing The Salvation Army at the reception were Majors Mark and Susan Brown, Area Commanders for Greater Birmingham. In private conversation with the Browns, Secretary Rice expressed her very deep appreciation for The work of The Salvation Army, not only in the recent emergency disaster situations but in the hundreds of programmes it operates year-round.

Later, during comments made before the assembled group, the British Foreign Secretary referred to The Salvation Army and its British roots – noting that Major Mark Brown came from Burnley in Lancashire, England, only 10 miles from his home town of Blackburn.