LETTER: Air Force needs expansion

In regards to your July 14 editorial (Air Force doesn’t need any more of Nevada’s land), your position overlooks quite a number of facts.

First, the Air Force has bent over backwards to accommodate Indian tribes, environmentalists, BLM and Fish and Wildlife for many years on the eastern parts of the Nevada Test and Training Range while working with a myriad of agencies on the western side of the NTTR. They’ve done their very best, but it’s apparent that some have no interest in working with the Air Force. Hence, there is legislation to make the Air Force the primary agency for the range, and it makes perfect sense. There have been incidents, including an MQ-9 crash where AF personnel were threatened with arrest at the crash site, that make this abundantly clear.

Second, your editorial ignores a letter from the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. David Goldfein, which makes clear that capabilities and technologies exceed the functional limits and boundaries of the NTTR. The letter goes on to say that the existing “status quo” renewal does not support current Air Force operational test and training requirements and that the “increased land area and management flexibility would greatly enhance military test and training capability without negatively affecting the refuge or public access”.

Last, time for reality. The Air Force economic impact to Southern Nevada is just short of $6 billion a year. If we add training exercises, contractors, etc., that figure is far larger. If Nevada decides to ignore the CSAF, our missions will go elsewhere along with dollars. We stand to lose A-10, HH-60 to Davis Monthan AFB and F-15E Weapons School Squadrons to Mountain Home AFB in the short term. That’s the first effect and we will lose more as well. Alaska has great ranges and could put the F-22 and E-3 squadrons in play. The list goes on. Think about the long-term effect of these actions. Is Nevada really ready to lose military mission over this?

The author is the president of the Nellis Support Team.