The Air Force on Sept. 23 presented a ceremonial key to the city of Galena for its forward operating location at Galena Airport in Alaska, carrying out a BRAC 2005 action that went largely unopposed. The Galena facility has operated since World War II, when it provided a way station for lend-lease aircraft going to aid Russian efforts against Nazi Germany. Now, the Galena Interior Learning Academy, which began operations at the airport in 1996, plans to use former Air Force buildings to instruct and house more students from the numerous villages that had to close schools due to low enrollment, reports the News-Miner. At the turnover ceremony, Col. Brent Johnson, commander of the 611th Air Support Group at Elmendorf Air Force Base, said, “There have been some very visionary people that have embraced this concept of using the former military facilities for a school and turning these students into very productive partners in our communities.” (Galena report by Tommie Baker)
Earlier this spring, the 388th Fighter Wing proved just 12 Airmen can operate an F-35 contingency location, refueling and rearming the fighters at spots across Georgia and South Carolina. The demonstration, part of exercise Agile Flag 23-1, marks yet another proof of concept for the Air Force’s plan to send…