Please consider attending one of the four public hearings to voice your support for the F-35 mission coming to Luke AFB. All hearings include an open house session from 5 to 6 pm, followed by a presentation and formal public comment session from 6 to 8 pm. Make sure and review the DEIS report available here before you attend.

F-35A EIS Public Hearings Schedule:

Send an E-Postcard -Voice your Support for the F-35 Mission Today

If you have not sent an e-postcard to the U.S. Air Force affirming that Luke AFB is the right location for the F-35 mission please do so by clicking here.

If you prefer to send your own letter or fax or email it yourself, please use the following:

Address for submission of letters:

HQ AETC/A7CPP,
Attn: David Martin, Air Force Contractor and Kim Fornof
266 F Street West, Bldg. 901
Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4319

Fax 210-652-5649
Email aetc.a7cpp.inbox@us.af.mil

No related posts.

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.

1. Luke AFB Pilot Selected to Fly F-35 Lightning II at Eglin AFB
2. Major F-35 training mission criteria requirement met by Luke Air Force Base
3. Luke Air Force Base F-16 Fighter Pilot Instructor Captain Hubbard Selected for Thunderbirds

Tuesday night’s meeting in El Mirage and last night’s meeting in Surprise each attracted big crowds of approximately 300 people. Luke supporters donning military hats, t-shirts, pins and stickers could be found everywhere at the meetings, which are being conducted by the Air Force to solicit input from citizens in preparation of the F-35 environmental study at the Glendale base.

Based on reports from other communities, such as New Mexico, Utah and Idaho, which are also under consideration to receive the Air Force’s joint strike fighter program, the Luke meetings are drawing record crowds.

“At last night’s meeting in Surprise, there was a line of people waiting to get inside the meeting room,” said Fighter Country Partnership’s Steve Yamamori, whose organization is working with 12 West Valley cities and Maricopa County to bring the F-35 to Luke. West Valley residents and others are showing up in force at these meetings to express their support for the Air Force to bring the F-35 to Luke. This strong support by local citizens is definitely going to send a clear message to decisions makers back in Washington, D.C. that Arizona strongly supports the F-35.”

Based on the criteria the Air Force will use to evaluate sites for the F-35 mission, Luke is well positioned to receive the F-35 and continue to serve as the Air Force’s “school house” for America’s fighter pilots and maintainers.
Local leaders know, however, that until a decision is made, nothing can be taken for granted, and they urge continued strong support from Arizonans statewide.

Luke has been training fighter pilots since 1941, and Arizona features the ideal climate, land, airspace and training rangers – including the Barry M. Goldwater Range in southern Arizona – that cannot be replicated anywhere in the country.

For more information on the public-scoping meetings, which run through Friday, or to register your support for the F-35 at Luke, visit www.LukeForward.com.

CONTACT: Steve Yamamori, Fighter Country Partnership, 623-882-2191

1. El Mirage Residents Support F-35, Future missions at Luke Air Force Base
2. Support Building for Statewide F-35 Luke Forward Campaign
3. City of Surprise Supports the F-35 and the Sound of Freedom from Luke Air Force Base

The Air Force proposes to establish training F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) training aircraft at one or more existing Air Force installations within the continental United States. F-35A is a conventional take-off, multiple-role fighter with an emphasis on air-to-ground missions. The aircraft was designed to replace and supplement F-16 and A-10 aircraft.

The candidate basing alternatives include: Holloman AFB New Mexico, Boise Air Terminal Air Guard Station, also known as Gowen Field, Idaho, Luke AFB, Arizona, Tucson International Airport Air Guard Station, Arizona, and Eglin AFB in Florida.

For purposes of this Environmental Impact Study alternatives currently include:

• No-Action – The No-Action Alternative evaluates the consequences of not bedding down the F-35A aircraft at any of the candidate locations. Analysis of the No-Action Alternative provides a baseline, enabling decision makers to compare the magnitude of the environmental effects of no action to the effects of the Proposed Action.
• Action Alternatives – For the F-35A Training EIS, each candidate installation is an “alternative” for review in the EIS. Environmental impacts for each alternative will be analyzed for the No-Action Alternative and in six increments of 24 primary assigned aircraft.

Visit LukeForward.com to download a comment card to fill out in the convenience of your home.  You can bring the card to one of the five meetings.  Comments cards can also be completed on-line and sent via email or through the US Postal Service.  It’s quick, convenient and vital that the Air Force hears from supporters of the F-35 mission.

Tuesday, February 23 – Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort

RC Roberts Memorial Building, 11201 N. El Mirage Road, El Mirage, Arizona Google Maps Link

Wednesday, February 24th – Communiversity @ Surprise

Thursday, February 25^{th –} Wickenburg High School Media Center

Friday, February 26^{th –} Wigwam Resort and Spa

1. F-35 Public Scoping Meeting Locations and Schedule (update)
2. F-35 Public Scoping Meetings in Arizona
3. Large Crowds in El Mirage Support New F-35 at Luke Air Force Base

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Fighter Country Partnership) PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer, Attorney General Terry Goddard and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors today adopted an agreement to resolve a long-standing issue involving residential encroachment around Luke Air Force Base at a special meeting of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors held at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park.

“I’d like to thank key leaders and their staff who joined me in reaching this important resolution that the Supervisors adopted today, including Senator John Nelson, Attorney General Terry Goddard, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and Senator John McCain,” said Governor Brewer. “It is a testament to our state officials who came together in a unified and cooperative spirit to uphold the health and welfare of our citizens, preserve the rights of property owners as well as the success of the State’s military bases. Our unified agreement will no doubt make clear to the U. S. Defense Department that Arizona stands ready for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter mission.”

“This agreement represents a major victory for the citizens of Arizona,” Goddard said. “It upholds state law, protects the health and safety of nearby residents and strengthens Luke’s bid for the F-35. It also shows what can be accomplished when a commitment to serve the greater good prevails over political and policy differences.”

The settlement agreement reached between the parties provides that the County will not issue building permits for new or expanded residential construction in high noise and accident potential zones.
“We always knew that protecting Luke was our common, unifying thread,” said Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Don Stapley. “But working together on this agreement, those bonds and communication are stronger. Those bonds will serve us well in the future.”

“The Governor has always been a strong supporter of Luke Air Force Base,” said Supervisor Max W. Wilson. “This agreement protects the base, its mission and its future. It gives Maricopa County taxpayers a measure of protection as well.”

Luke Air Force Base injects over $2 billion a year into Arizona’s economy.

###

Office of the Governor
(602) 542-1342
psenseman@az.gov

Steve M. Wilson
Attorney General’s Office
(602) 542-8351
Steve.Wilson@azag.gov

Richard de Uriarte
Maricopa County Board
of Supervisors
(602) 506-7232
deuriarter@mail.maricopa.gov

Download a PDF here.

1. Luke Air Force Base protected by Governer and Attorney General from encroachment
2. Luke Air Force Base anti-encroachment pact protects base for F-35 mission
3. Major F-35 training mission criteria requirement met by Luke Air Force Base

Presentations have also been made to citizens groups in such communities as Surprise and Sun City West. In addition, Luke Forward representatives have staffed informational tables at events in Glendale and Goodyear.

“The feedback from business leaders and citizens has been extremely positive,” said Jerry McCoy, deputy director of marketing/communications for the city of Glendale, who is helping with the Luke Forward campaign. “We  had 300 people show up for a meeting in Surprise and another 250 people for a presentation in Sun City West. Everyone attending these meetings wants to know what they can do to help us in this effort.”

With the recent announcement that Luke is one of five bases nationwide being considered to receive the new F-35 mission, it is anticipated the Air Force will soon begin holding public “scoping” meetings in advance of its  Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process at Luke and the other candidate bases. Both the scoping meetings and the eventual EIS process will allow citizens and communities around the candidate bases to provide input during the formal assessment of each base. Based on the results of the EIS, the Air Force is expected to announce its F-35 preferred basing locations in late spring 2010 with the release of its draft EIS.
Once that process is completed, the Air Force will issue its “record of decision” and announce its fi nal basing decision. This announcement is anticipated to be made in early 2011.
The Luke Forward campaign was developed 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.

For more information on Luke Forward or to schedule a business or community presentation, call 623-882-2191 or visit www.LukeForward.com.

1. Large Crowds in El Mirage Support New F-35 at Luke Air Force Base
2. Peoria Chamber gathers troops to support F-35 mission at Luke
3. LUKE AFB SELECTED AS PREFERRED LOCATION FOR F-35 PILOT TRAINING CENTER

Public-scoping meetings are just the beginning

The purpose of the public-scoping process is to actively involve citizens and government agencies in helping identify the environmental issues to be addressed in the environmental analysis of the F-35 at Luke. These meetings will provide you with an introduction to the F-35 and its capabilities and mission. Specific information on how the F-35 will be integrated at Luke as a training facility will also be covered.

Open-house format

The meetings will be held using an “open-house” type format where there will be several informational tables for you to visit. Air Force, as well as Luke AFB, representatives will be staffing these tables to answer questions you may have. These public-scoping meetings will have no formal presentations. But, there will be an opportunity to submit written comments to the Air Force regarding Luke and the F-35.

Public Scoping Meeting Schedule:

Luke Forward campaign organizers are urging Luke supporters to attend one of the upcoming public scoping meetings, so you can learn as much as possible about the EIS process. Luke Forward has also provided an ability for people to fill out an EIS form on their website if they cannot make the meetings. A Fighter Country representative will deliver all forms to each EIS meeting.

1. Public F-35 Meetings in Tucson
2. F-35 Public Scoping Meeting Locations and Schedule (update)
3. F-35 Public Scoping Meeting Tonight in El Mirage

Our goal is to gather support from residents throughout the West Valley to let our military leaders in Washington D.C. know that there is tremendous community support for Luke in becoming a training base for the new F-35 and for its military personnel, who make the ultimate sacrifice so that all of us can enjoy a better life.

Please join this community support campaign by adding your name to our list at the Luke Forward Website.

1. Luke Air Force Base Serves as the “School House” for Air Force Fighter Training
2. Large Crowds in El Mirage Support New F-35 at Luke Air Force Base
3. Town of Buckeye Supports F-35 at Luke Air Force Base