New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has authorized the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing to begin “limited” operations on the Warren Grove Gunnery Range, beginning Oct. 1, according to an Aug. 15 release from the governor’s office. Earlier this month, Sen. Frank LoBiondo (R) sent Corzine a letter, complaining that the wing was still not permitted to use the range a year after a widespread fire caused by an F-16 training flare. Initially, Corzine has limited the range use to the 177th FW, so the unit can verify its new safety procedures. Following that validation, he will authorize use of the range, after Nov. 1, to other units. However, Corzine said, “The resumption of operations will be predicated on the thorough education of all units” on the new rules, and he wants an independent inspection to “ascertain continue adherence to the [new] protocol.” That inspection is to take place by July 1, 2009, and would be followed by another before January 2010. After that, Corzine wants inspections done every six months or annually depending on the findings of the first two.
Air Force exercises in the Indo-Pacific may soon get even bigger and more robust, as lawmakers move to invest more than $620 million in such efforts. The bulk of that money, contained in a $150 billion reconciliation package currently making its way through Congress, is $532.6 million for earmarked for…