F-35 PROGRAM ALIVE AND WELL AND MOVING FORWARD

As the President of the Northwest Florida Military Officers Association, I was able to attend a briefing and tour at the F-35 Training Squadron on Friday, August 19, 2011. This facility was quite impressive and movement around the installation was at a very high pace. I can tell you the two F-35 Joint Strike Fighters are very impressive and are doing quite well. Also, the morale is very high from the top to the bottom of the chain of command. I have seen both the 7th Special Forces Group new installation, and I can assure you, the F-35 Training Facility does not take a back seat. Both of these installations have cost close to a 1 BILLION dollars, yes 1 BILLION. I am quite confident from our briefing, you want this plane and this country needs this plane. Just listen to the news tonight on what an air campaign can accomplish in Libya and what the Special Forces folks have recently done, as well. Both of these programs are the tip of our spear in the Defense of our Country. More importantly, they save lots of money, and more importantly, they save lots of lives. Yes, military lives. Oh yea, these two programs have been transferred here. I wish I could tell you more and I wish I could have showed you more. But all I can tell you. I am proud to be an American.