Senator Kent Conrad | North Dakota

BRAC Commission North Dakota Regional Hearing

Grand Forks AFB
Opening Statement
Senator Kent Conrad
June 23, 2005

Thank you, Mayor Brown.

Commissioner Bilbray, Commissioner Coyle, Commissioner Skinner. Thank you for coming to North Dakota. We appreciate your excellent questions in pursuit of the truth. We have a saying in North Dakota, “Only the best come north.”

And thank you to all the people of Grand Forks and Fargo who have come to join us. The relationship between the Air Force and Air Guard and our communities are incredibly strong. This show of support is a demonstration of our respect for the men and women of the United States Air Force and the Air Guard. Let me turn first to the case for Grand Forks AFB.

We are very proud of Grand Forks Air Force Base, proud of its mission, and proud of the performance of the men and women who serve there. We strongly believe it is in our national security interest to retain the base. We welcome the assignment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. We also believe that there are sound military justifications for retaining a core group of the KC-135 tanker fleet at Grand Forks.

You have already asked the critical question: Why keep Grand Forks open?

Remember, just two years ago the Air Force selected Grand Forks to be the first base in the country to receive a full complement of new tankers. Just two years ago, the considered military judgment of the Air Force was that Grand Forks was the best place to put new tankers. The Commission should ask the Air Force, “What has changed?”

Beyond that, we believe there are 10 compelling reasons to keep Grand Forks Air Force Base:

1. The Air Force analysis showed Grand Forks AFB had the highest military value of any Northern tier base for the important and growing UAV mission.

2. We have unfettered and uncluttered airspace as this photo of air traffic in the United States graphically demonstrates.

3. We have absolutely no ground encroachment.

4. There is a strategic requirement for Northern tier bases.

As this animation indicates, Northern tier bases have been dramatically reduced in previous BRAC rounds.

There is now no major Air Force Base between Grand Forks and Massachusetts.

5. Homeland Security depends on Grand Forks AFB. The intelligence bill passed last year and signed by the President calls for UAV overflights and a network of sensors to strengthen Northern border security. That law contemplates a central United States Northern border Air Force Base.

6. Grand Forks AFB offers the opportunity for joint operations with the foremost Air Guard unit in the country – the Happy Hooligans of Fargo. As you know, the Hooligans were the first unit to provide protection in the skies over our nations capital on September 11, 2001, as this picture depicts.

The Fargo Air Guard are only 80 miles from Grand Forks AFB. They are prepared to contribute personnel to joint operations of UAVs based at Grand Forks. They are also prepared to jointly operate tankers out of Grand Forks.

7. Grand Forks has outstanding facilities.

We have invested over $327 million in infrastructure over the last decade.

Yesterday, you saw the new runway under construction.

In the last several years, the Air Force has built four new, state of the art squadron operations buildings.

Grand Forks has been the largest recipient of Family Housing money in the entire Air Force -- $131 million since 2003.

There is also a world-class fitness center, [Slide 20: Dining Hall] and a beautiful new dining hall.

These improvements have helped to keep Grand Forks the “Crown Jewel of Air Mobility Command.”

8. Grand Forks is an ideal location for overseas deployments, as these maps show. Grand Forks and McConnell are the only tanker bases that can efficiently support deployments both to the east and to the west. In almost every case, Grand Forks offers faster trip times than McConnell.

We offer shorter trips to the Middle East than the other bases.

The BRAC analysis shortchanges Grand Forks. Almost 40 percent of the score for tanker bases is made up of just one factor – distance to associated airspace. Location is crucial. But this approach to rating location ignores the way a base operates in a war.

9. The performance of the men and women of Grand Forks AFB has been exceptional. They were the first in the air over Afghanistan, the first to set up a base on the ground, and the first to conduct combat air refueling operations. Grand Forks continues to produce like no other installation.

Three months ago, the base won the Spaatz trophy for the best refueling squadron in Air Mobility Command. The wing has won the Solano Trophy as the best wing in AMC. And Grand Forks has twice won the Abilene Trophy for community support.

10. The University of North Dakota School of Aerospace offers a force multiplier. The Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force have stated that UND “offers some unique opportunities to focus on the UAV efforts for the Air Force and other services.” UND Aerospace could become a Center of Excellence in UAV operations. No other base can offer that.

To conclude, there are ten compelling reasons that this Commission should keep Grand Forks open. To recap, those reasons are:

1. GFAFB has top military value for UAVs;
2. Unfettered airspace;
3. Absolutely no ground encroachment;
4. The strategic requirement for Northern tier bases;
5. Homeland Security needs (Interagency)
6. The opportunity for joint operations with Fargos Air Guard;
7. The best facilities in AMC;
8. Location;
9. The outstanding performance of this base that was first on the ground, first in the air, and first over enemy territory in Afghanistan; and,
10. A partnership with UND Aerospace.

These are compelling reasons to keep GF operating. The appropriate conclusion of this commission is to affirm the Air Forces plans for the UAV mission and assign a core group of tankers to Grand Forks.

Now, let me turn the floor over to General Ron Fogleman.


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We have a saying in North Dakota, “Only the best come north.” And thank you to all the people of Grand Forks and Fargo who have come to join us. The relationship between the Air Force and Air Guard and our communities are incredibly strong. This show of support is a demonstration of our respect for the men and women of the United States Air Force and the Air Guard. Let me turn first to the case for Grand Forks AFB. We are very proud of Grand Forks Air Force Base, proud of its mission, and proud of the performance of the men and women who serve there. We strongly believe it is in our national security interest to retain the base. We welcome the assignment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. We also believe that there are sound military justifications for retaining a core group of the KC-135 tanker fleet at Grand Forks. You have already asked the critical question: Why keep Grand Forks open? Remember, just two years ago the Air Force selected Grand Forks to be the first base in the country to receive a full complement of new tankers. Just two years ago, the considered military judgment of the Air Force was that Grand Forks was the best place to put new tankers. The Commission should ask the Air Force, “What has changed?” Beyond that, we believe there are 10 compelling reasons to keep Grand Forks Air Force Base: 1. The Air Force analysis showed Grand Forks AFB had the highest military value of any Northern tier base for the important and growing UAV mission. 2. We have unfettered and uncluttered airspace as this photo of air traffic in the United States graphically demonstrates. 3. We have absolutely no ground encroachment. 4. There is a strategic requirement for Northern tier bases. As this animation indicates, Northern tier bases have been dramatically reduced in previous BRAC rounds. There is now no major Air Force Base between Grand Forks and Massachusetts. 5. Homeland Security depends on Grand Forks AFB. The intelligence bill passed last year and signed by the President calls for UAV overflights and a network of sensors to strengthen Northern border security. That law contemplates a central United States Northern border Air Force Base. 6. Grand Forks AFB offers the opportunity for joint operations with the foremost Air Guard unit in the country – the Happy Hooligans of Fargo. As you know, the Hooligans were the first unit to provide protection in the skies over our nations capital on September 11, 2001, as this picture depicts. The Fargo Air Guard are only 80 miles from Grand Forks AFB. They are prepared to contribute personnel to joint operations of UAVs based at Grand Forks. They are also prepared to jointly operate tankers out of Grand Forks. 7. Grand Forks has outstanding facilities. We have invested over $327 million in infrastructure over the last decade. Yesterday, you saw the new runway under construction. In the last several years, the Air Force has built four new, state of the art squadron operations buildings. Grand Forks has been the largest recipient of Family Housing money in the entire Air Force -- $131 million since 2003. There is also a world-class fitness center, [Slide 20: Dining Hall] and a beautiful new dining hall. These improvements have helped to keep Grand Forks the “Crown Jewel of Air Mobility Command.” 8. Grand Forks is an ideal location for overseas deployments, as these maps show. Grand Forks and McConnell are the only tanker bases that can efficiently support deployments both to the east and to the west. In almost every case, Grand Forks offers faster trip times than McConnell. We offer shorter trips to the Middle East than the other bases. The BRAC analysis shortchanges Grand Forks. Almost 40 percent of the score for tanker bases is made up of just one factor – distance to associated airspace. Location is crucial. But this approach to rating location ignores the way a base operates in a war. 9. The performance of the men and women of Grand Forks AFB has been exceptional. They were the first in the air over Afghanistan, the first to set up a base on the ground, and the first to conduct combat air refueling operations. Grand Forks continues to produce like no other installation. Three months ago, the base won the Spaatz trophy for the best refueling squadron in Air Mobility Command. The wing has won the Solano Trophy as the best wing in AMC. And Grand Forks has twice won the Abilene Trophy for community support. 10. The University of North Dakota School of Aerospace offers a force multiplier. The Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force have stated that UND “offers some unique opportunities to focus on the UAV efforts for the Air Force and other services.” UND Aerospace could become a Center of Excellence in UAV operations. No other base can offer that. To conclude, there are ten compelling reasons that this Commission should keep Grand Forks open. To recap, those reasons are: 1. GFAFB has top military value for UAVs; 2. Unfettered airspace; 3. Absolutely no ground encroachment; 4. The strategic requirement for Northern tier bases; 5. Homeland Security needs (Interagency) 6. The opportunity for joint operations with Fargos Air Guard; 7. The best facilities in AMC; 8. Location; 9. The outstanding performance of this base that was first on the ground, first in the air, and first over enemy territory in Afghanistan; and, 10. A partnership with UND Aerospace. These are compelling reasons to keep GF operating. The appropriate conclusion of this commission is to affirm the Air Forces plans for the UAV mission and assign a core group of tankers to Grand Forks. Now, let me turn the floor over to General Ron Fogleman.

Issues

BRAC Commission North Dakota Regional Hearing