Delivery of the BRAC commission’s final report should have closed the door on the base closure saga, right? Wrong. It would appear that even the commissioners were uncertain what they had done. They let more than two weeks pass before acknowledging the error of a widespread public belief that they had voted to shutter Otis ANGB, Mass. After the commission wrapped up business the last week in August, lawmakers and state officials of Massachusetts publicly expressed their dismay and astonishment over closure of the base. The state attorney general filed a lawsuit to block the action. Further, a transcript of commission proceedings indicate commissioners thought they were voting to close Otis. Yet, the final report delivered to President the evening of Sept. 8, stated the action approved for Otis—beyond losing its F-15s—is realignment, not closure. How could this happen? Reportedly, there were votes not in the public transcripts and the small staff had not had time to notice. Hmmm …..
Multiple U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters have deployed to the strategic outpost of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to protect the myriad of assets deployed there, including strategic bombers.