Lawmakers in Arkansas and Georgia say the Air Force should reimburse those subcontractors that are out thousands of dollars because of the housing privatization debacle involving Carabetta and its subsidiaries and affecting bases in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Massachusetts. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) said of the project at Moody AFB, Ga., the Air Force should have been “more proactive before it got to this point.” At Moody, he said, a project begun in 2004 has eaten millions of dollars and produced only two of 400 new homes. In Arkansas, Sen. Mark Pryor (D) said, “The Air Force chose a rogue contractor that left behind rows of cement floors, unfinished housing, and unpaid bills.” He declared, “It’s time for the Air Force to step up.” An editorial in The Valdosta Times earlier this month was even more pointed, asserting the Air Force has shown “callous disregard” for the community around Moody, subcontractors, and the base.
The 301st Fighter Wing in Fort Worth, Texas, became the first standalone Reserve unit in the Air Force to get its own F-35s, welcoming the first fighter Nov. 5.