Ron Sites, a longtime volunteer and coordinator of YMCA’s military partnerships, will replace Steve Yamamori as the executive director of Fighter Country Partnership, a support group for Luke Air Force Base. The executive search team met with a number of candidates and selected Sites, the executive director of the Southwest Valley Regional YMCA. Sites will assume his new job on Sept. 11. “Ron’s connections to the West Valley communities, his recent experience as an honorary commander at Luke and his volunteer efforts with Fighter Country make him an excellent choice for our organization at this time,” said Charley Freericks, the…
August 27, 2010 (by SMSgt. Larry Schneck) – The fleet of gray F-16 Fighting Falcons on the Luke Air Force Base flightline is in sharp contrast to a small group of blue-colored training aircraft that arrived earlier this month. // The 309th Aircraft Maintenance Unit has added five F-16s from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., to its inventory of 27 aircraft. “Right now they look like blueberries with the painting scheme of an aggressor aircraft,” said 1st Lt. Jennifer Rogers, 309th AMU officer-in-charge. “The blue camouflaged pattern helps pilots in training quickly identify the plane as an adversary, or aggressor,…
By Elizabeth Jackman from Glendale Star on Aug. 6, 2010 Valley leaders reacted last week with excitement to an announcement by Sen. John McCain that the Department of Air Force has selected Luke Air Force Base as its preferred training base for stationing of the F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter). “The Air Force has recognized that the unparalleled capabilities inherent to Arizona – from the Barry M. Goldwater Range, to great flying weather, and strong support from state and local governments and communities, serve to provide the best environment and the finest quality of life for our military personnel…
The Air Force got it exactly right in naming Luke Air Force Base its preferred location to train pilots to fly the new F-35 fighter jet. There is no better place for it. And there’s no better time for good news from Washington. The Air Force announced Thursday that Luke, at this point in the military’s analysis, is the optimum training location for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The F-35 replaces the aging F-16, for which Luke has been the premier training site in the world. This is a major step in securing Luke’s future. Landing the F-35 is expected…
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Arizona’s local and state government officials, as well as the Arizona congressional delegation, are delighted with today’s decision that the Air Force has selected Luke Air Force Base as the preferred location for the new F-35 Pilot Training Center.
With today’s decision by the Air Force, Luke is poised to transition from its current F-16 training mission to become the Air Force’s F-35 “school house,” subject to completion of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process that is currently underway.
“Today’s announcement is great news for our region and our state and represents a major milestone and the most critical stage in the F-35 site selection process,” said Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs.
“Although we realize there is more work ahead of us, we are extremely grateful to our state’s congressional delegation, the Arizona Legislature, Governor Jan Brewer, Attorney General Terry Goddard, and citizens and businesses for working closely with us to champion and support the F-35 coming to Luke Air Force Base through our Luke Forward campaign,” Scruggs said.
The campaign was developed locally to send a clear, strong message to the Department of Defense that Arizona supports Luke Air Force Base continuing to serve as one of the country’s premier fighter pilot training facilities and to raise awareness of the critical role Luke plays in our national defense and the state’s economy.
The campaign was created by the West Valley Partners and Fighter Country Partnership. The West Valley Partners include Avondale, Buckeye, Glendale, Gila Bend, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Maricopa County, Peoria, Phoenix, Surprise, Tolleson, Wickenburg and Youngtown.
Gov. Brewer said the Air Force’s decision is, in part, the result of all levels of local and state governments, as well as the private sector, working in partnership on a common vision.
“We all know that Luke is the ideal location for this next generation fighter, but I also believe that today’s decision demonstrates Arizona’s ability to roll up our sleeves and work together for the betterment of our state,” she said.
“It’s critical that we continue to do all we can to preserve current and future missions at our military installations in order to keep this very important industry viable in our state.”
Luke Air Force Base and other military installations in the state collectively represent one of the largest industries in Arizona and generate more than $9 billion annually in economic impact statewide. Luke alone contributes more than 8,000 jobs and $2.17 billion annually to Arizona’s economy, according to a recent study commissioned by the state.
Fighter Country Partnership (FCP) Chairman Charley Freericks, who is co-chairing the Luke Forward campaign with Scruggs, credits community support for today’s decision.
“Local community support of military bases is very important back in Washington, and we know the tremendous Valley and statewide support for Luke Air Force Base really helped us,” said Freericks, a senior vice president at DMB Associates.
“We reached literally tens of thousands of Arizonans through our citizen and business outreach initiatives, and community support for Luke Air Force Base was overwhelming. There is no question that this strong level of support was a significant factor in the Air Force’s decision to site the F-35 at Luke.”
Today’s announcement is being made prior to the release of the Air Force’s draft F-35 basing EIS document, which is anticipated to be published in the next 30 days. The Air Force is required to conduct an environmental assessment of each potential F-35 site before making its final basing decision.
This federally mandated assessment, which is referred to as the EIS process, allows individual citizens and communities around candidate bases to provide input during the formal evaluation of each base.
The Draft EIS will serve as the Air Force’s notice of intent to proceed. Once the Draft EIS is released, in which Luke will be identified as the Air Force’s preferred site, public hearings will be held later this year.
Once the public hearings are held and the comment period concludes, the Air Force will release its final EIS document that will provide responses to comments received from the public.
After the Final EIS document is published, there will be an additional 30-day public review period. After reviewing comments received during this time frame and after considering any environmental impacts, the Air Force will making its final basing decision. It is anticipated the Air Force’s final “Record of Decision,” which will conclude the EIS process, will be made in early 2011.
The Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, commonly known as the Thunderbirds, have announced incoming officer selections for the 2011 demonstration season. “Each person and position is carefully selected based on the individual’s record of performance, capabilities in their particular field and a demonstrated commitment to excellence that matches the Airmen we represent every day,” said Lt. Col. Case Cunningham, the squadron commander/leader and Thunderbird No. 1, in an Air Force news release. Pilots selected for the team who currently fly a different airframe will undergo several months of F-16 familiarization training before they begin practicing the aerial demonstrations with the…
5/18/2010 - LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. – The 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base will soon begin looking for a new wing weapons officer. Maj. Josh Wood, current 56th FW Weapons officer, will soon be departing Luke AFB and no longer fly F-16s, but the next generation aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. With Air Force bases across the globe submitting recommendations, Major Wood is one of five pilots selected out of approximately 150 candidates to fly the F-35. “First off, I’m extremely humbled and it means the world to me,” said Major Wood. “I can’t describe what an unbelievable opportunity this is.”…
ESOHCAMP 11 days away by AJ MUHS 56th Civil Engineer Squadron Although storm water runoff is simply rainwater, it flows over land and can become a problem. When it picks up and carries sediment and contaminants from streets, rooftops and lawns, it carries them to surface water bodies and ground water through the soil causing contamination. Storm water is a problem if it mixes with pollutants like fertilizer, oil, sediment, pet waste, soap, pesticides and other chemicals that are picked up by runoff then carried untreated to local water bodies. It is important to realize that all storm water entering…
The Thunderbirds, the Air Force’s F-16 aerial demonstration team, recently selected Captain Hubbard, 62nd Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, as their newest member. She will be Thunderbird 8, meaning she will narrate the Thunderbirds’ performances. She will also serve as the advance pilot. “It’s awesome,” she said. “I’m overwhelmed with excitement, honor and responsibility that come with being the No. eight. As the advance pilot, I’m the first person to show up at a location, the first to meet the media and the first person to meet kids and talk to them about what I do.” Captain Hubbard says she is…
