Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who championed the fight to save the B-1B bombers at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., from BRAC 2005, obviously is not resting on his laurels. Thune plans to keep emphasizing the worth of Ellsworth. He met with Gen. Michael Moseley, Air Force Chief of Staff, last week to urge the Air Force to consider the South Dakota base for a new financial services center “and other operational missions.” According to Keloland TV news, Thune talked on Feb. 21 with base officials about expanding and enhancing the training range—extending it by three million acres of airspace—to open the door to other missions, such as unmanned aerial vehicles or as a training center for other US or foreign aircraft.
As commander of Air Forces Central, Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich has been at the heart of almost all U.S. military action in the Middle East, from overseeing airstrikes against Iranian proxy groups to protecting troops as America’s air defense commander for the region. Just before handing over his command to…