Alaska Senator Begich May Hold Up Air Force Chief of Staff's Promotion to Stall F-16 Move

Tools

By Sam Friedman - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner / sfriedman@newsminer.com

Story Created: Jun 8, 2012 at 10:25 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Jun 8, 2012 at 10:25 AM AKDT

FAIRBANKS — U.S. Senator Mark Begich may extend his hold on a military advancement to the Air Force’s top uniformed officer because of frustration with the service’s plan to move a squadron of F-16 fighter planes from Eielson Air Force Base.

For more than a month, Begich has already held up the advancement of Lt. Gen. Herbert J. Carlisle, who is up for promotion to four-star general.

According to his spokesman Julie Hasquet, the Democratic senator is now considering putting a hold on the advancement of Gen. Mark A. Welsh, President Obama’s candidate to be the next Air Force chief of staff. Any senator can put a hold on a military advancement, which halts the nomination until the hold is lifted.

Putting a hold on the military leaders is one of several strategies Alaska’s congressional delegation is using to stall or stop the movement of the F-16s and more than 1,500 Air Force and civilian jobs from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.

Another approach uses congressional control of the military’s purse strings. In a joint letter sent Wednesday to leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense panel, both Begich and Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski ask for language in the 2013 budget ordering the Air Force not to spend money to move the F-16s.

The Air Force announced the move in February as part of a larger plan to cut expenses across the service.

Alaska’s congressional delegation has been skeptical and demanded Air Force explain exactly how the move would save money. The Air Force argues the plan will save money by eliminating the need for 81 duplicate possessions at Alaska air bases.

Some of the Air Force’s numbers came out last week in a 46-page report. In that report, the Air Force said keeping the F-16s in Anchorage would save $227 million over five years but would cost $5.65 million in the first year because of moving and construction costs.

Alaska’s congressional delegation questioned the thoroughness of the report, arguing it overlooked the cost of providing housing for airmen in Anchorage and of creating a report on the environmental effects of basing the F-16s in Anchorage. Representatives of the congressional delegation and a group of local business and government leaders known as the Tiger Team spent two hours questioning the Air Force general who created the report last week and are planning to hold another teleconference this morning.

Contact Fairbanks Daily News-Miner staff writer Sam Friedman at 907-459-7545.

You have indicated this comment should be removed.

Close

The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .

No Name said on Friday, Jun 8 at 10:31 AM

We need to put a hold on voting to ever reelect this scumbag. Lets see how he likes having someone play with his life and career.

93233935
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Govner said on Friday, Jun 8 at 11:22 AM

Senators and Congress always want to cut the military budget unless it affects their own states. In this case, the planes are staying in Alaska. These tactics are why Americans are fed up with our political process.

93237775
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

OldAFguy said on Friday, Jun 8 at 1:54 PM

He's already put the promotion of the new Pacific Air Forces cpommander(USAF general who commands all USAF in the Pacific and Alaska) on hold. Now it is the USAF Chief of Staff. Our Airmen deserve the best leadership, without the distraction of political maneuvering. This is a distraction for the entire AF, in the middle of a war (or two), so that he can figure out whether the planes are in Fairbanks or Anchorage. Time to focus on the troops and get the heck out of the way.

93249546
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Robo said on Saturday, Jun 9 at 5:33 PM

Alaskan's need to start writing down the reasons to remove our junior senator from Washington D.C. come 2014, that they not forget. Alaskan's made a mistake in voting for him to replace Uncle Ted, and should not continue past 2014 paying for our poor judgement-- it would have been better that we voted Uncle Ted back into office, had voted for Uncle Ted and allowed the Govenor the choice to replace himm if convthe conviction stood.

93323744
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

The Adult said on Saturday, Jun 9 at 6:56 PM

This guy needs to get a clue. His behavior is that of a child and only proves he is ill prepared to be in a postion of leadership for his state or anyone else. Wonderful way to support the troops that defend him and his coastal state every day. With unlimited resource of his office he choses to hurt careers and behave like a child having a temper tantrum. Way to earn respect!

93327155
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KTVA CBS 11 | Anchorage, Alaska News and Weather and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.