Military Affairs Committee shows support for Mountain Home AFB

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Samantha S. Crane
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  The Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee demonstrated its overwhelming support for Mountain Home Air Force Base in a recent trip to visit military and civilian leaders in Air Combat Command and Washington, D.C.

"For the past 28 years, the MAC has performed as a social and political action committee supporting Mountain Home AFB," said Bill Richey, Idaho's special assistant for military affairs. "The major purpose of the organization was formed to promote the expansion, development and effectiveness of Mountain Home AFB and other military activities in the state of Idaho."

To better reach their goal, the committee takes annual political action trips to visit ACC, Air Force Headquarters and Idaho Congressional Delegation. This year's trip, which took place May 4, was spearheaded by John Marshall, MAC chairman; Alan Bermensolo, member of the ACC commander and chief of staff's civic leader groups; and Mr. Richey.

To get a better understanding of the base's needs, MAC members met with Col. John Bird, 366th Fighter Wing commander, to discuss topics for the trip. The wing then provided briefings and talking points regarding the current mission and goals.

Key topics included the 428th Fighter Squadron reactivation, fiscal year 2010 closure of the F-15C Eagles, Mountain Home Training Range Complex airspace expansion, changes in TRICARE and the potential for new missions at Mountain Home AFB in the future.

Throughout the trip, the MAC members met with ACC leadership, the deputy under secretary of installations (Policy), associate Air Force civil engineer, Air Force chief of ranges and airspace, Air Force chief of staff executive officer, Air Force associate director of programs, defense military naval and air attaché for Singapore and Idaho Congressional Delegation.

"We all felt the trip was a huge success in demonstrating our support for MHAFB, continuing to foster and networking with Air Force and ACC leaders of today and tomorrow and promote the great qualities of one of the national treasures Mountain Home AFB and the Mountain Home Range Complex," said Mr. Richey.

But the MAC's support won't stop there.

"Over the next six months we will work hard to expand membership of the MAC to Boise and other surrounding committees," said Mr. Marshall. "We will also continue to be a pipeline of information to our elected officials. All representatives, both state and national, that we have contacted are extremely supportive of the base and its mission."

"We enjoy the tremendous support from our civic leaders in Mountain Home," said Col. John Bird, 366th Fighter Wing commander. "They are committed to the long term viability and success of this installation. The MAC's recent East coast visit helped open clear lines of communications with both Air Force and congressional leadership. The relationships they are building will serve the Mountain Home AFB community well and pay big dividends in the long run."