Although the Pentagon did not propose closing Eielson AFB, Alaska, it does want to remove the active units, thereby saving some $229 million a year. Whoa, says Alaskan officials, including the state’s Adjutant General. In a letter to BRAC commissioners, Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell cites a recent Air Force study saying the estimated residual active force of 400 personnel would be way short of need. Campbell believes the Pentagon may short change the base, leaving the 168th Air Refueling Wing in the cold.
U.S. Northern Command plans to sign an agreement with its European and Pacific counterparts to enhance coordination and close security seams in the Arctic, a strategically vital region that spans all three commands. The agreement comes at an important moment in NORTHCOM's evolution, as its mission grows more complex.
