News Releases for June 2005
June 23, 2005
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Hoeven Presents BRAC Testimony In Grand Forks
BRAC Testimony: Grand Forks 
(136kb pdf)
BRAC Testimony: Fargo (136kb pdf)
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven today presented the following testimony before a Base Retention and Closure panel in Grand Forks to hear the case for maintaining and expanding the military mission at the Grand Forks Air Force Base and for the Air National Guard unit stationed at Hector International Airport in Fargo. The testimony, as well as a PowerPoint presentation in support of the testimony, is also available on the Governor’s Web site at www.governor.nd.gov.
Testimony of John Hoeven
Governor of North Dakota
BRAC Commission Hearing
Grand Forks, North Dakota
I am John Hoeven, Governor of North Dakota. Grand Forks Air Force Base and the airmen assigned are not just tenants to the citizens and elected officials of North Dakota. We are partners and at every corner work together to support both national and local defense issues.
One example of our support is the Veteran’s Bonus legislation passed this year, which appropriated $5,000,000 of state funds to provide every active duty, National Guard, and reserve North Dakota resident veteran with $100 for every month of deployment in the Theater of Military Operations.
I would also note that many of our airmen assigned to Grand Forks ultimately retire in North Dakota. A primary reason is our strong community support of the military.
One of the issues we are currently working on is the creation of a Joint National Training Center in North Dakota. This air and land space initiative has been extensively briefed and has the strong support not only of North Dakota, but also at the highest levels of the Air Force. These individuals recognize the clear advantages to using our diverse terrain, infrastructure, and climate to train real world scenarios.
This concept would transform the entire state, some 70,000 square miles, into the largest air and special forces training area in the entire world. North Dakota is an ideal setting for this training area due to diversity of the terrain, four distinct weather seasons, bases in the state that are well suited for exercises and virtually no air traffic congestion.
This initiative represents a three year concerted effort that, in addition to multiple briefings of senior General Officers, includes working with the affected civilian airlines to address issues in advance. These issues have already been addressed and we have agreements in place with the airlines.
I have provided you with a copy of our presentation, which I strongly urge you to watch. It truly demonstrates the military value of North Dakota. While in other regions access to airspace is diminishing, the Joint National Training Center initiative puts Grand Forks Air Force Base on an upward trend.
Of all northern tier bases, Grand Forks offers the greatest potential for cooperation between active duty and National Guard forces. As stated in the background paper on realignment of Grand Forks Air Force Base dated June 3rd, the designation of the Predator and Global Hawk mission to GFAFB as a joint Air Force-National Guard initiative allows “the opportunity to take advantage of Future Total Force integration initiatives to capture highly skilled Airmen for emerging mission requirements.” As Commander in Chief of the North Dakota National Guard, I am pleased to welcome joint operations between the National Guard and the Air Force.
Grand Forks Air Force Base also offers the military access to the premier aerospace facility in the country in the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences at the University of North Dakota. UND has already partnered with the Army to train West Point helicopter pilots and with NASA to operate the DC-8 research jet also known as “The Flying Lab.” The Aerospace school would be an outstanding partner with the Air Force in creating a UAV Center of Excellence in Grand Forks.
Finally, Grand Forks is absolutely the right location for the UAV mission to support homeland security. The Grand Forks Border Patrol Station has responsibility for 900 miles of border - from the Great Lakes through most of Montana - the largest border section of the Northern tier.
We believe the Department of Defense recommendation to retain Grand Forks Air Force Base was a correct decision based on military value, but we also believe the military value analysis was flawed. It doesn’t give proper weight to significant sections of the eight specified BRAC criteria, as we’ve identified.
To eliminate all the tankers as recommended would create a vacuum in the entire North central part of the country. I would note that one of Canada’s fears is a terrorist attack on the US coming through Canada. In addition, keeping a flying mission at Grand Forks would only serve to enhance the UAV mission. And our Air Guard can provide the support for cooperation and crew augmentation with the Air Force for the tanker mission.
North Dakota presents unique opportunities for military value not available anywhere else in the United States. Grand Forks Air Force Base is vital to capturing that value - making it vital for our military.
Testimony of John Hoeven
Governor of North Dakota
BRAC Commission Hearing
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Commissioners Skinner, Bilbray and Coyle, as Commander in Chief of the North Dakota National Guard, I want to again welcome you, and want to express our appreciation for your careful consideration of the BRAC issues as they pertain to our Air National Guard unit stationed at Hector International Airport.
We North Dakotans take great pride in our military and have the highest per capita military background of any state. I stand before you representing all of the great citizens of our state who have demonstrated, in every conflict since the Spanish American War, their commitment and support to our great country through service in the military.
Whether it is the Hooligan’s flying over the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, or the soldiers and airman deployed since that date, we demonstrate daily our commitment and dedication.
We believe the Department of Defense recommendation to leave open both Hector and Grand Forks Air base was a correct decision based on military value, but we also believe the military value analysis for both installations was flawed. It doesn’t give proper weight to significant sections of the eight specified BRAC criteria.
Specifically with regard to the recommendation to realign Hector International Airport, we request you remove Hector from the realignment list. The simple fact is that the retirement of the F-16s was a programmatic change already in place.
The Block 15 A Model F-16’s at Hector are going away regardless of the BRAC process. The justification presented - that Hector ranked low in military value and that the aircraft should retire “without a flying mission backfill” - has already proven incorrect with the designation of a UAV squadron. The language “without a flying mission backfill” at a minimum must be removed from the report because it creates the inference that a flying mission at Hector may be prohibited by BRAC.
At the same time, we welcome the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mission to North Dakota. As the Department of Defense recognizes, North Dakota offers an opportunity unique among all fifty states for both ground and airspace training and capacity. We offer the diversity of terrain, the largest available airspace in the nation, diversity of climate, and the strong support of our citizens.
The identified Predator and Global Hawk missions at Fargo and Grand Forks recognize the high military value of those bases and also demonstrate how we can work together in a joint mission capability. The combination of both Title 32 and Title 10 airmen provides the state and nation with greater flexibility to meet immediate needs.
As Commander-in Chief of our National Guard, I have very specific concerns with how the Air Guard issues are being addressed through BRAC. A strong Army and Air National Guard is crucial to our ability to respond to both local and national events. On September 11, 2001 the Hooligan’s were providing air security over the Pentagon, and when the airports simultaneously needed security in our state, within 5 hours we had Air Guard personnel in place.
As a centrally located border state, North Dakota has very particular needs in the area of homeland defense, which is the primary stated goal of the national defense plan. Required National Guard assets include medics, security police, civil engineers, fireman, aviation assets, CST team, communication network, and transportation. To meet the Homeland Security needs of the state, we must have a flying mission, which will also support and enhance the UAV mission. This approach is also vitally important for recruitment. The current Air Force plan to eliminate Air Guard flying missions totally in some states is short-sighted at best and does not follow the required eight BRAC criteria.
As we move forward in our fight against terrorism and continue to fight in overseas missions, recruiting and retention has to be our primary concern. We have demonstrated that we can fill all the necessary positions. North Dakota is one of the few states that is meeting its National Guard recruiting and retention goals.
According to the Secretary’s report to the BRAC Commission, the very first BRAC principle is to “Recruit and Train.” “The Department must attract, develop, and retain active, reserve, civilian and contractor personnel who are highly skilled and educated and have access to effective, diverse, and sustainable training space…” North Dakota has proven that we have the ability to attract and retain the key talent that is needed.
The Department also has as a stated goal to work with the private sector to establish research, development, and testing capabilities. As stated before, the School of Aerospace Sciences at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks will be an outstanding partner with the Air Force and the Air National Guard in the development of a UAV Center of Excellence. Also, since 2003, North Dakota State University at Fargo has been using UAV simulators for research and development to enhance UAV operation and teamwork. Both universities will greatly enhance and support the UAV mission operated by the Air Force and our Air Guard in North Dakota.
All of these facts clearly demonstrate that North Dakota presents unique opportunities for military value not available anywhere else in the United States.
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