On December 2 2019, Council member Patty Washabaugh and Francis Scott Key Squadron 11 member Josh Marks honored Town of Mount Airy (Md.) Mayor Patrick Rockingberg for his community service and advocacy for veterans issues. Rockingberg, who has been mayor since 2010, works tirelessly to promote his small rural community and dedicates himself to fundraising for charitable issues and advocating for promotion of veterans issues . In July 2019, he wrote to the governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, and asked him to contact all the Maryland congressional representatives and urge them to support the Legion Act. More recently, he and Washabaugh ,accepted a POW-MIA flag from Marks and immediately had it flown to show the town's recognition and support of missing veterans and their families.
Washabaugh's parents both served in the military and her son-in-law is a Marine in active service. Marks, who is also associate with the L/CPL Robert W. Dean Marine Corps League Detachment #770 of Mount Airy, stated, "This citation from the governor is well deserved and we are glad that his office recognizes Mayor Pat for his selfless devotion to our community and more specifically our military constituencies here in town." He added, "Mayor Pat is a family oriented man. When my son retired from the Marine Corps in September 2019, he had the Town Council present me with a dedicated service citation. That is Patrick Rockingberg. He is a just great human being and a he--uva Mayor." In February of this year, Hogan proclaimed 2019 the Year of the Veteran. We are pleased to see that he has seen Pat working toward that end."