'A Disservice To The Airmen': Jon Ossoff Laments Air Force's 'Neglect' Of Facilities And Systems

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During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) questioned Lt. Gen. Tom D. Miller about Air Force systems and facility investments.

Transcript

00:00Thank you, Mr. Chairman. General Miller, thank you again for being here. Thank you for our

00:05conversation yesterday as well. I think you're aware last August I had the pleasure of hosting

00:10Air Force Chief of Staff General Alvin in Georgia. We visited several installations, including

00:14Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta. And man, are the people of Valdosta proud of and supportive

00:21of Moody. Mayor Matheson, Dr. Lucy Green of Moody Support Group. I mean, that is a base community,

00:29but just loves hosting the Air Force and provides so much support for the airmen and the civilians

00:36who work on and around the base. And they are thrilled that Moody has been selected to host

00:44the F-35 with the A-10s leaving the force. And critical infrastructure upgrades are already

00:52underway to prepare the installation for that transition. You and I discussed this yesterday

00:58and here in this public setting. I'd like your commitment again that you will work closely

01:03with me, with the subcommittee, with the community in Valdosta to ensure that the base is prepared

01:10and successful to swiftly bring those aircraft to Georgia.

01:18Senator Ossoff, Ranking Member Ossoff, thank you for the call yesterday, taking the time.

01:23Absolutely, Moody has so much combat capability for the United States Air Force in one place,

01:29from the rescue squadron to the base defense group to the fighters there, A-10s now, F-35s in the future.

01:35I do commit to you to work. It's a multifaceted question to, you asked, how do we pull to the left?

01:43And so pulling to the left is, you know, looking at the environmental requirements,

01:46the facility requirements that you just mentioned, the aircraft lay down, all the combat capability.

01:52And most familiar with Robbins and Valdosta's, you know, support to the Air Force communities,

01:57and can't thank Georgia enough for that.

01:59Thank you. Looking forward to working with you on that.

02:03And I do want to discuss Robbins, and again, you and I discussed this yesterday,

02:07but I want to raise here in this public setting once again with you the condition of the air logistics complex.

02:14I mean, you know how extraordinary the work being done at Robbins is in terms of all of the maintenance

02:24and not just on the airframes, but also the avionics and so many of the systems.

02:30But that air logistics complex really needs more investment.

02:34The condition of the facility's degradation, neglect, faulty construction,

02:42it's a disservice to the airmen and civilians who are there making sure that the Air Force has aircraft,

02:50avionics, systems that are in the state they need to be in.

02:54So I'm asking you here for your commitment to work with me and the subcommittee and the leadership at Robbins

03:00to accelerate investment in key projects at Robbins that may include FSRM funding

03:05and to upgrade facilities at the air logistics complex.

03:10Yes, sir.

03:10And in the public forum, I do want to just applaud.

03:14Warner Robbins' air logistics complex produces, has turned around vexing problems.

03:19We've had with weapon systems F-15, C-5, C-130 in all aspects, meeting on-time delivery

03:27and providing more flight line availability for those weapon systems in wings throughout the Air Force.

03:33And you remarked avionics in particular is a particular skill set that the complex there produces for many weapon systems

03:41that I didn't just mention.

03:43And you do have my commitment that looking at not only the workload that's there now at Warner Robbins,

03:48is that what's in the future also coming to Warner Robbins,

03:51that the facilities, the infrastructure, the overhead cranes, the power,

03:55all the ability in the classified environment also for the avionics, as mentioned,

04:01will be addressed and planned for in advance and not late to need.

04:06Thank you so much.

04:07Looking forward to working with you, General.

04:10And Admiral Jablone, thank you as well for your service and your testimony today.

04:15Georgia is proud to host Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay.

04:19We are proud to host the East Coast home for the Ohio-class submarines.

04:25We are working closely with the Navy and with the Department

04:29in order to prepare for the transition of the Columbia-class boats.

04:33It is one of my top priorities to make sure that we are investing in Kings Bay

04:37to prepare it for the equipment and the missions that are coming.

04:40Can I have your commitment, Admiral, to work with me and the subcommittee

04:43and the leadership at Kings Bay and local leaders in Georgia

04:46to ensure that the base is fully prepared to accept the new Columbia-class submarines?

04:51Senator, thank you for that question.

04:55As a former Submarine Group 10 commander in Kings Bay,

04:58you do have my commitment to work with you and the subcommittee.

05:01As you know, the Columbia-class submarine is our number one priority in the Navy

05:05and the infrastructure which supports that is vital to its success.

05:09Thank you, Admiral.

05:11Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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