Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) says the Air Force’s “top leaders have repeatedly told me that Grand Forks [AFB, N.D.] would be one of the first bases to receive the new tanker.” He plans to “hold them to that promise.” Air Force officials have not yet publicly committed to tankers for Grand Forks. Conrad’s statement about the tankers came after a meeting last week with base officials. Under BRAC 2005, Grand Forks is losing its current force of KC-135 tankers, and the Air Force has committed to placing unmanned aerial vehicles there. The Air Force sent a survey team last month to begin arrangements for the UAV mission, and the state’s Congressional delegation secured some UAV beddown funding in the latest war supplemental. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D) also got Senate Appropriations Committee approval for some $14 million in 2008 military construction funding that would aid UAV operations.
How Miss America 2024 Took the Air Force Somewhere New
Dec. 20, 2024
When 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh became the first ever active service member crowned Miss America on Jan. 14, top Air Force officials recognized a rare opportunity to reach women and girls who otherwise might not consider military service as an option.