His seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee has enabled Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) to push for—and get—committee approval for $18.2 million in military construction appropriations for 2008 for Minot AFB, N.D. In a statement, Dorgan says the money will go toward a new 144-room enlisted dormitory. He says, “This is an important investment that shows the commitment the Air Force has to maintaining Minot Air Force Base as a dual-mission facility for decades to come.” Minot has B-52 bombers and Minuteman III ICBMs. The Air Force wants to trim back its B-52 force but has yet to secure Congressional approval; it does have approval to cut one Minuteman squadron, but that will happen at Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
Members of the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing helped save 11 airplane crash survivors off the coast of Florida on May 12. The Reserve Airmen were flying an HC-130J Combat King II and an HH-60W Jolly Green II on a routine training flight when a Coast Guard call diverted…