For all who live near USAF Bases.

[Warph]

Got this e-mail the other day and thought I'd pass it along.  I go to Luke AFB two or three times a month to the commissary for groceries or the BX for "whatever" or just to sit out on the flightline with some AF buddies to watch F-16's doing "touch and go's."  I am privileged to so because of my career with the Air Force and years spent with the U.S. Department of State.  ....Warph


http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/wakeup.asp 


TRUE STORY....

Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were. A certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back. Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed his/her day at the mall.   

When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB officer, it must Have stung quite a bit.

The complaint: 
Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base:   
Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 A.M, a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird special?   
Any response would be appreciated.

The response:   
Regarding 'A wake-up call from Luke's jets' On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four- ship fly by of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques. Capt Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.   

At 9 a. m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend. Based on the letter writer's recount of the fly by, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of t aps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.   

A four-ship fly by is a display of respect the Air Force gives to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.   

The letter writer asks, 'Whom do we thank for the morning air show? The 56th Fighter Wing will make the call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.     

Lt. Col. Scott Pleus
Luke Air Force Base

To his credit, the complaintant tendered a wriiten apology, which was published in Arizona's leading newspaper "The Republic".... check Snopes below for whole story:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/wakeup.asp

[Catwoman]

Living in Wichita affords me the luxury of getting to watch not only the touch and go performances out of Cessna and the other businesses but also some of the fascinating aircraft that comes and goes out of McConnell AFB.  Watching the matchless grace of those airborn wonders is completely awe-inspiring...it was not long ago that my grandparents were young, riding to school in the horsedrawn buggy...Now, I get to see gravity being defied on a regular basis.  These are truly the good old days, even in spite of the current economic and world political situations...There is no better place on this God's earth to be and raise our kids.

[W. Gray]

Lowry AFB, Colorado, in Denver and the initial location of the Air Force Academy, saw its last aircraft land around 1960, but the base remained open until the mid-1990s.

The wife and I drove our car daily down the former runways and ramps, which had been turned into streets, to get to our jobs.

When the base was "closed" around 1994, or so, it was intended as an economic measure dictated by Congress to save taxpayer money.

However, the Air Force subsequently directed its attention seven miles east and upgraded Buckley ANG Base to Buckley AFB, spending hundreds of millions in the process. The action did not convince many there was any financial savings.