With 
a final formation flyby, 11 aircraft left Kulis Air National Guard Base in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday for nearby Joint Base Elmendorf, signaling the official move of Kulis’ 176th Wing to Elmendorf and ending operations at Kulis, per BRAC 2005. “We’re looking forward to the increased partnership with the 1,400-plus men and women of the Air National Guard and their families,” said Col. Robert Evans, commander of Elmendorf’s 673rd Air Base Wing in welcoming the Kulis airmen. These Air Guardsmen operate C-130 and HC-130 aircraft and HH-60 helicopters. Brig. Gen. Charles Foster, 176th Wing commander, said the move to Elmendorf “offers the wing growth as a team and a partnership that works.” He noted that the benefits of the relocation “far outweigh the downsides.” Kulis had been home to the 176th Wing since 1952. (Elmendorf report by Luke Waack)
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…