F-35 Beddown Shortlist?

F-35 Beddown Shortlist?: Appa

rently the Air Force has placed Eielson AFB, Alaska, on its shortlist of beddown locations for the F-35 stealth fighter, along with Hill AFB, Utah, Moody AFB, Ga., Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, and Shaw AFB, S.C. Eglin AFB, Fla., is apparently on the shortlist as the potential schoolhouse for the platform. The Air Force still has not announced this list publicly, but a report Oct. 14 in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner lays it out, based on what we understand to be accurate information. Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Mark Brown, told the Daily Report yesterday that he could not confirm the list. “We cannot get communities’ hopes up until the list becomes final,” he said. Meanwhile Lt. Frank Hartnett, spokesman for Eielson’s 354th Fighter Wing, said, to his knowledge, the information presented in the Daily New-Miner article is correct (except for the minor point that it did not specify Eglin as the potential schoolhouse location). “This is certainly a promising development for the Eielson community,” he told the Daily Report. “But it is important to have realistic expectations," he said and added, "Being on the list does not guarantee that the F-35 will come to Eielson.” In January, the Air Force issued its future capabilities roadmap which listed these bases as part of the 41 potential homes to the F-35, expected to enter the Air Force’s inventory in the early part of next decade. Once the shortlist is official, the process will proceed to assess the environmental impact of basing the F-35s at these preferred locations. For at least Eglin, there is some concern over the arrival of the F-35s, which some claim will be noisier than the base’s current F-15s. In fact, the city of Valparaiso near Eglin filed suit against the Air Force in federal court earlier this year to obtain documents that might shed light on the noise. This led to a meeting between Air Force and Valparaiso officials earlier this month to discuss the release of information.

10/16/2008

Verbatim

Appreciative Host
"I know you're here during a difficult time. You're here through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. I promise you, we will find turkeys."
—Republic of Lithuania Chief of Defence Maj. Gen. Arvydas Pocius, expressing his thanks to airmen of the 493rd Fighter Squadron from RAF Lakenheath, Britain, who on Sept. 1, 2010, began a four-month stint with their F-15s in Lithuania to protect the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania under NATO's Baltic air policing mission.

Verbatim

Family Momentum
"In many ways, this was what the Year of the Air Force Family was all about—connecting airmen and their families with the resources they need. I have confidence the Air Force will capitalize on this strong momentum in the years ahead by continuing to improve our family support programs and ensuring people know what resources are available."
—Suzie Schwartz, wife of USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, commenting on the accomplishments of the Year of the Air Force Family initiative that concluded in July, in a statement provided to the Daily Report, Aug. 22, 2010.