Conrad, Klotz to hold meeting on B-52 plans

By ELOISE OGDEN, Regional Editor eogden@minotdailynews.com
People who want to know more about the Air Force’s plan to bring more B-52s to Minot Air Force Base can attend a meeting in Minot Friday.

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force, are scheduled to meet with base leadership Friday afternoon.

After that meeting, there will be a public briefing with Conrad and Klotz discussing the future of the base. Conrad is inviting the public to attend the briefing to learn more about these plans and show community support for the Minot base.

The meeting in Minot will be at 4 p.m. in room 201 of the Minot Municipal Auditorium.

During the visit to the base, Klotz will lay out the steps the Air Force will take to bring an additional squadron of B-52 bombers to Minot.

Last month, the Air Force confirmed plans to create a second B-52 squadron at the base, adding about 1,000 additional personnel.

“I’m pleased to welcome General Klotz back to Minot. From his time commanding our ICBM forces in Minot and his six years of service in Grand Forks, General Klotz knows the truth of the saying that ‘Only the Best Come North,” Conrad said.

As assistant vice chief of staff, Klotz is responsible for organization and administration of Air Force operations in the Pentagon.

From January 1995 to August 1996, Klotz was commander of the 91st Missile Group, later redesignated the 91st Missile Wing, at Minot AFB. The missile wing later was redesignated the 91st Space Wing, which it now is. Earlier in his military career, Klotz held several positions at Grand Forks AFB including as commander of its 321st Operations Group.