Tag Archives: F-15

MANG F-15s: One Last Shot

The Great Falls Tribune, citing a Pentagon spokesperson, is reporting that the Montana Air National Guard’s (MANG) F-15s will all be gone by early 2014. They are heading to California. The first F-15s will begin leaving in the next three months according to the Tribune report.

C-130 cargo planes will be replacing the F-15s. According to the Tribune they will start arriving in early 2014.

The move to C-130s is not sitting well with some in the state.

The Western Word was provided a copy of a letter sent to the three members of the Montana Congressional delegation and the Governor from three retired Brigadier Generals who served as commanders in the Montana Air National Guard.   Continue reading →

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Meetings Planned Regarding 144th FW F-15s

In case you missed it (or if you don’t read the Federal Register every day), the “Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Proposed Conversion to the F-15 Aircraft for the 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard At Fresno-Yosemite International Airport, Fresno, CA” was posted in the Federal Register on July 15, 2011.

You can read it HERE.

Basically, it appears it’s a step in the process to take the F-15s from the Montana Air National Guard and put them in Fresno, California: Continue reading →

Caught My Eye…

It’s been hotter than ____!  (You can fill in the blank)  Welcome, once again, to another edition of Caught My Eye – the weekly column where I take a look at some of the stories that I did not have time to write about during the week – and sometimes I add just a little sarcasm.

Caught My Eye is brought to you by a grant from Exxon Mobile Corporation (just kidding)…I actually use an allowance from my wonderful wife to produce this column…

This week I take a look at unemployment, Glacier Park, cheaters, ABC News, Exploring, Casey Anthony, Exxon Mobile, the Governor and AG races, my political inbox, and much more!

So grab a cup of your favorite beverage and enjoy the read… Continue reading →

Finding a Hero

It was nice to see that someone else believes those representing the Great Falls area in regard to the military were more or less surrendering to the decision to move the F-15 fighter mission from Montana to California.  I had previously written about Montana’s military in the column called, “We Need a Hero.”  You can read it HERE.

Montana State Senator Ed Buttrey lays it all out in an over 1100 word Guest Opinion that appeared in today’s Great Falls Tribune (not on-line as of my deadline) and recently in the Fairfield Sun Times (available online HERE).

Buttrey begins his Guest Opinion with: Continue reading →

We Need a Hero

Being one who has long supported the military missions around Great Falls and across Montana, as well as being one who has actually been in the military (that’s how I got here), I was somewhat alarmed after catching THIS STORY in today’s Great Falls Tribune.

Short version:  It does not look good for military missions around Great Falls, Montana.

The people interviewed for the story did not present a very rosy picture for the Air Guard and the Active Duty military base.  Starting with the headline “MANG’s mission change probable” and a 30% loss of personnel and ending with the missile bases losing another 30-50 missiles, the future does not look very bright at all. Continue reading →

More Concerns: Montana’s F-15s

Readers may remember this column about the 144th Fighter Wing of the California Air National Guard that has several members who are being investigated for double dipping, or this column about the Montana State Legislature’s resolution about keeping the planes in Montana.

The Sacramento Bee newspaper is now reporting that an investigation into “dual pay” is being conducted on the former Adjutant General of the Guard, Maj. Gen. William H. Wade II, who is now a “top NATO general.”  Wade was Adjutant General for the California National Guard from September 2005 to February 2010.

The Bee reports that General Wade’s total earnings amounted to “above $1 million during his 4 1/2-year California tenure that ended in 2010 – far more than any elected state official, including the governor’s salary.” Continue reading →

Resolution: Keep the Planes in Montana

Congratulations go out to Montana State Senator Edward Buttrey for sponsoring a resolution (Senate Resolution No. 28) in the Montana Legislature that urges the Department of Defense (DOD) to reconsider the move of F-15C/D fighter jets from the Montana Air National Guard in Great Falls, Montana, to Fresno, California.

This is great work by Buttrey. It’s nice to see something positive coming out of the Montana Legislature for a change – and it’s equally nice to see that the Great Falls area has a state legislator who cares about (and understands) the military.

Although resolutions have no teeth and they sometimes tick off those mentioned, it does let the DOD know the feelings of Montana in regards to the possible loss of the F-15s. It lays it out – the good, the bad, and the ugly for all to read. It should pass the state senate unanimously.

Plus, this resolution brings up the issue about the federal investigation into the possible “double-dipping” being done by some pilots and commanders within the Fresno Air National Guard. That issue alone should terminate any decision to move Montana’s F-15s to California. Continue reading →

Worth Another Look

A Sacramento Bee newspaper investigation has uncovered a major problem with the California Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing based in Fresno that has cost the Government hundreds of thousands of dollars.

You can read the story HERE.

The pilots were double-dipping – working during the day flying F-16s and then grabbing a shift (on alert) at night and getting paid for that, too. It’s not exactly safe, either.

The double dipping went all the way to the top of the Fresno unit as the Wing Commander was on pace to make about $316,000 this year.

Now there’s a big investigation by the Air Force. There will probably be criminal charges.

Readers may remember that the 144th Fighter Wing is scheduled to receive the Montana National Guard’s F-15s.

The newly formed group, Citizens for Montana’s Military, brought this investigation to the Montana media’s attention yesterday. KRTV (CBS) grabbed to story and ran with it. You can read it HERE.

Citizens for Montana’s Military believe that with the leadership of the 144th in question, the basis for moving the F-15s from Montana to California deserves another look – an impartial look – to ensure Montana received a fair shake.

I totally agree.

There’s a lot about this move that does not make sense. Now, it’s up to the Montana Congressional delegation to take the ball and run with it all the way to the Pentagon to ensure Montana was treated fairly in all aspects of the decision to move the F-15s to Fresno. Then, they need to press the Pentagon about the future of a flying unit in Fresno because after this investigation is complete, Fresno may not have any pilots left to fly Montana’s F-15s.

It’s worth another look.

Ready to Fight? Part II

In part one of “Ready to Fight?” I wrote about the waste of money and the politics involved with the announcement that the Montana Air National Guard’s F-15s would be going to California. You can read Part One HERE. This editorial from the Great Falls Tribune was the basis for my column.

I’ve picked five things that the local community can improve upon or do to actually be “Ready to Fight.” Putting all five ideas in one column makes it a long read, so today I will talk about what the State of Montana can do and what the local military committees (the Chamber) can do.

On Thursday, I’ll talk about the local Economic Development Authority, the Congressional delegation and last, but not least, the local media. I’ll also have closing comments.

Sadly, it does not seem the community is ready for this fight. It may be too late. There’s just too much of “marking your territory” from some in the community, but that’s not to say the community does not support the military personnel in and around Great Falls. They do.

If the State of Montana and the Great Falls Chamber of Commerce really wants to put up a “helluva fight” (as the Great Falls Tribune calls it) for long-term military presence in Montana, here are some things they can do. Continue reading →

Ready to Fight?

First we had the headline from the Great Falls Tribune, “Air Force confirms MANG to lose F-15s” which was first announced by Congressman Denny Rehberg and first posted here at The Western Word.

Then in the Sunday paper, we had the “symbolic” editorial from the Tribune brass, “Community, delegation need to fight for MANG missions.”

While there’s sadness in Great Falls, Montana, there’s joy in Fresno, California.

I would be shirking my duties as a columnist/blogger if I did not take an in-depth look at the Tribune editorial. So today is part one of a two part column about that editorial. Continue reading →