Showing support for MAFB
POSTED: June 6, 2008
Today’s public meeting with Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz will hopefully shed some light on the coming personnel increases at Minot Air Force Base.
Klotz is the assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force. He and Conrad are scheduled to meet with base leadership today, followed by a public briefing at 4 p.m. in room 201 of the Minot Municipal Auditorium.
Klotz is expected to discuss plans to create a second B-52 squadron at Minot AFB, which will add about 1,000 personnel to the base. It will also bring more bombers to the Minot base.
It will be a good chance for area residents to learn more details about the coming changes at Minot AFB, but it will also be an opportunity for community members to show their support for the base, too. A good turnout would go a long way to reaffirming what Air Force officials, including Klotz, already know – Minot and the surrounding communities have great support for Minot Air Force Base.
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, and the 91st Space Wing, which it now is. Klotz also held several positions at Grand Forks AFB including as commander of its 321st Operations Group.
The addition of at least 1,000 more Air Force personnel at the Minot base will have a great impact on Minot and the surrounding area. First and foremost, the new personnel will become part of our communities, part of our schools, part of our churches and part of our neighborhoods. We’re not looking at the new personnel with dollar signs in our eyes because they will add money to our local economy. No, we’re more concerned that they find a place to live, a place for their children to attend school, a place to shop and places for them to enjoy themselves.
Minot residents have been supporting Minot Air Force Base since the installation was built, and we see no reason for that not to continue. A good community showing at the meeting with Conrad and Klotz will only further enhance our reputation as having one of the best relationships between an Air Force installation and a community.
