Another Air Force base currently undergoing an “attributes study” is Malmstrom AFB, Mont. There is one review team on site already, and William Anderson told lawmakers that another team would visit the base in May to see if there is “any potential use for those underutilized assets.” The Air Force’s Assistant Secretary for Installations was referring primarily to the base’s airfield, which Montana lawmakers would like to reopen to fixed-wing aircraft. Anderson, who ruled out the possibility of the base getting a new Air Force mission—flying or otherwise—“at this point,” did not bite on a suggestion from Rep. Dennis Rehberg (R-Mont.) to move the Air National Guard F-16 unit from its home on the commercial aviation facility to the Malmstrom airfield. (ANG’s 120th Fighter Wing still has a flying mission, even though BRAC 2005 calls for it to switch from F-16s to F-15s.)
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…