CRESTVIEW TO BE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE F-35 PROGRAM

What this means. Duke Field, which is about 5 minutes from Crestview will see a good portion of the training of the new F-35 Training program. I would expect that training will be for the F-35, which is designed with vertical take off (Marine Version) and they will use this field because of some increases in noise associated with this type of take off. A good reason for this, is because Duke Field is further away from the general population and the noise will not affect them. What this also means, with the training being conducted at this location, you will probably see the support staff at this location make Crestview their home. So not only will you have the Army's 7th Special Forces Group at the door steps of Crestview, you will have a good part of the F-35 program. FOOD FOR THOUGHT!!!



Eglin, Duke Field finalists for primary F-35 activities
By MONA MOORE
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4443 | mmoore@nwfdailynews.com  

EGLIN AFB — The Air Force has narrowed down the primary airfields for the Joint Strike Fighter to Eglin Main and Duke Field. In a draft of the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) released this week, the Air Force said the F-35 jets will bed down, be maintained, launched and recovered at one of the two fields. A final decision will be made after public hearings next month and released in the final Environmental Impact Statement. “I’m pleased that we’ve reached this stage in the process and am confident the critical analysis from this effort will ensure the best possible decision for F-35 operations at Eglin,” Col. Sal Nodjomian, commander of the 96th Air Base Wing, said in an e-mailed statement. “I also look forward to hearing what the community thinks throughout the public comment period.” The public will have 45 days to review and comment on the SEIS draft. The Air Force unveiled 18 options for the F-35 operations during a series of scoping meetings in August 2009. Many of the alternatives involved building more runways at a cost that was not included in original Base Realignment and Closure funding. The Air Force added a 19th option after the scoping meetings. The suggestion was to use Duke Field and Choctaw Field as auxiliary fields and build one new runway at Eglin for the primary airfield. The list was narrowed down to five options at Duke Field and two alternatives at Eglin Main. Eglin Main’s alternatives call for using Duke and Choctaw fields as auxiliary fields. One option has an additional runway being built at Eglin. The Air Force’s preferred option is to use Eglin Main as the primary airfield and Duke and Choctaw as auxiliary fields. No changes would be made to the runways. Valparaiso Mayor Bruce Arnold said Thursday that he had not seen the draft but would be given a copy that night at a meeting. “I have no comment until I’ve seen the document. I have no comment because I’ve seen nothing,” Arnold said. Copies of the draft SEIS are available for review and download at Eglin’s website and at nwfdailynews.com  . Printed copies can be found at the following libraries after today: Robert L. F. Sikes P u b l i c L i b r a r y i n Crestview; Niceville Public Library; Fort Walton Beach Library; Navarre Public Library; Valparaiso Library; and the Monroe County Library in Monroeville, Ala. The comment period runs from today through Nov. 8. Public hearings are tentatively scheduled for Oct. 12, 13 and 14. The times and places have not been decided. For more information about the environmental impact analysis, contact Mike Spaits, 96th ABW/ PAV, Eglin AFB, FL 32542, The phone number is 882-2836.