Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania is telling his constituents that NAS Willow Grove—set to lose its Air National Guard A-10s if the BRAC commission rulings stand up—will remain active despite the realignment of the units currently stationed there. In an op-ed piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer Thursday, he wrote: “While Willow Grove will not continue in its current form, without question, a strong and significant military presence will remain there.” Rendell said the only issue now is the fate of the 111th Fighter Wing’s A-10s. He believes that the ruling by US Dist. Judge John Padova legally bars the removal of the A-10s. (DR, 8/29/05.) The BRAC commission and DOD disagree.
The Pentagon is significantly bolstering airpower near Venezuela, dispatching the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to Latin America, it said in an Oct. 24 statement. The announcement came just hours after U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers and other U.S. assets flew near the Venezuelan coast on Oct. 23.
