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New 355th Wing commander at D-M

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Spencer: It's been an incredible ride the last three-plus years at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Starting first as the vice wing commander (April 2003 to July 2004) and then flying up to be the wing commander.

Probably the most rewarding accomplishment is the team we've built with the members of the Tucson community. They've enhanced my ability to do our mission.

The Air Force figured out early on that the synergy of getting a mission done is taking care of the people. We do have some challenges ahead in the Air Force, as well as our military for a protracted war. Taking care of airmen is the No. 1 priority.

The community has been there extensively for the airmen. There's a Military Affairs Committee out of the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. It has recognition programs for the airmen. The DM-50, a group of the very prominent businessmen and women, has gone above and beyond to help airmen and their families.

The base, back in 2004, won a philanthropy award for large corporations. It is documented — and I think this number is well under-reported — we won because of the more than 100,000 hours of volunteer time the airmen had given to the community.

This relationship we've garnered with the community has had beneficial rewards for not only airmen, the ability to take care of their families and to get out of town to do America's work, but also to the community. The bridge that we have built over the last three years is incredibly important.

Spencer: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is the third-largest installation in air combat command: 12,000 acres.

The real estate that is actually occupied by men and women and the facilities is under half. Of the remaining acreage that is not developed, part was a range in World War II that has unexploded ordnance and needs to be cleared.

There are multiple units at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The 355th Wing is the host unit and its job is threefold. It has an operational A-10 squadron that supports the combat commander from the air. The other mission is it trains A-10 pilots; there are two squadrons there. The third mission is a geographically separated unit up at Luke Air Force Base; it's an air control squadron.

The first major tenant is the 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern. Lt. Gen. Norman R. Seip. "owns" all the fighter assets west of the Mississippi. He has seven active-duty wings, six others like this (the 355th Wing), and three direct reporting units. He provides forces to the commander of ACC (Air Combat Command).

As Air Forces Southern commander, he's the senior airman adviser to (the U.S. Army's) Gen. John Craddock, who is the combatant commander to the South American responsibility. Whenever the president goes to South America, it's 12th Air Force making sure the president can get in and out safely.

The second major tenant is what you would affectionately call "the boneyard" (the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center, or AMARC).

I would argue that is not a boneyard. There are 4,400 airplanes out there valued at $33 billion. For every dollar the aircraft maintenance and regeneration center spends, it brings back $12.43. It's a giant parts store for the U.S. military.

They do regenerate airplanes. The chief of the Pakistani naval operations was out here 18 months ago. He came to AMARC to pick T-3 aircraft. His government will work with the State Department, they'll come up with a price and AMARC will regenerate those airplanes. AMARC has regenerated helicopters to support the global war on terror. AMARC also is the depot level maintenance for the service life extension program for the A-10 wing.

If we're not going to sell it to foreign governments or we don't need the parts, they'll pull off the rest of the precious materials and put those back into the system.

The third major tenant organization is the 55th Electronic Combat Group. They fly the C-130 — the one that has all the antennas on the back. Davis-Monthan is the only base in the Air Force that has a C-130. They listen, do some type of jamming and do some very important, sensitive missions that probably won't be publicly known for many years that are saving airmen, soldiers, Marines and sailors.

We have an Air Force Reserve unit and active-duty unit. Respectively, they are the 93rd rescue group and the 563rd rescue group. The installation is holding up part of Homeland Security.

The two organizations we have are from the Air National Guard out of Tucson International Airport. One is Western Air Defense Sector, and the other is Operation Snowbird/Freebird.

The Western Air Defense Sector Davis-Monthan has F-16s that sit at 24-hour alert. They're manned by the Tucson Air National Guard. We're one of 15 bases to have this capability. Their command and control orders come from highest levels of this government. Basically, if an airplane flying in U.S. airspace coming from the south is not squawking or talking appropriately to the FAA, these guys scramble.

The other detachment of the 162nd Fighter Wing is Operation Snowbird and Freebird. Back in the '70s, Snowbird came about as a place where northern U.S. military bases come down to take advantage of the great weather and the great ranges here. That has since migrated into what we call Operation Freebird, which is a Department of State initiative where foreign national air forces come here for three to six weeks to fly out of Tucson.

Spencer: Each of the services brings some capabilities that the others do not. Each of the services complement each other. I'm sure there are some redundancies: Look at the staff inside the Beltway. You could realize efficiencies there. Probably. That's going to be a decision made at a political level.

Spencer: I'm not sure you can draw a link between the UAVs and the draw-down in the Air Force. UAVs and the technology are incredible.

Air Force is striving for "reachback." Years ago, when the president of the United States went down to South America, the 12th Air Force had to send hundreds of people. Today, with the combined air operations center sitting at 12th Air Force, they send less than a dozen because you have that reach-back capability and technology.

Well, the UAV is the same way. One coming off the assembly line today is what the A-10 cost 30 years ago. But you don't put a pilot in it. These airplanes can go long distances and loiter. UAV cannot pull nine G's (the equivalent to nine times the force of gravity). You don't have that gray matter in the cockpit seeing someone coming in. But the UAV is going to have a very significant role as our military and our Air Force evolve.

Spencer: He will probably take those recommendations, look at them from a standpoint of what could be implemented immediately and what could be implemented in the near- and far-term. A lot of those recommendations are doable in whole or in part.

Those recommendations don't all fall squarely on the base's shoulders. Some of those things will take integration and coordination (with other agencies and governmental entities).

This was an incredible effort by the MC3. Probably the biggest thing that you walk away (with), other than the recommendations, was an education process. We were able to show the public why it is we do what it is we do and how that integrates with all the flying activities over Tucson.

The MC3 was to address the neighborhoods' concerns to the north of the field. Do we have an encroachment problem to the north of the field? Yes. If you look at it from a historical standpoint, the installation went to I believe 22nd or 29th Street. Over the years, the base had given that back to the city.

Flying aircraft is actually a whole lot safer than driving the streets of Tucson. If you try to get home insurance for an airplane landing on your roof, you can't. The probability is so remote that insurance companies don't offer that type of coverage.

It's going to boil down to our ability to safely fly the mission. You cannot address the operations at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base without addressing all the operations in and around Tucson.

Spencer: It has and it has not. About a year ago the Border Patrol increased some presence on the base, and it's gone back to what it was before that increase in presence. I anticipate that there will be more integration and more involvement in the Border Patrol, but Homeland Security and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) have not come forward and said they need to put more airplanes at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Spencer: It sits in the person who wants to come forward and say, "Yes, I want to do this." He's the one who's got to make sure we get electricity at a cheaper cost. He's the one who's got to come forward with the technology that's going to be compatible with Pima County. Nothing is off the table because it's conceptual.

Star: Anything you'd like us to know?

Spencer: The economic impact that the base brings to the city of Tucson is nearly $1 billion annually. The real number last year was $987 million. It comes in three areas. The civilian military payroll at the base alone is $458 million. Expenditures is $363 million — which are construction, services, equipment and materials. And then indirect jobs — which are folks living on the base who go Downtown, the dependents, the spouses — that's $166 million.

We have about 14,000 retirees living in and around Tucson; their payroll alone is $225 million. That is exclusive of the $1 billion. The direct and indirect impact on the city from an economic standpoint is $1.2 billion.

The military person moves every two to three years. They buy a house, they sell a house. They buy cars. They buy food. It's a significant impact on the city of Tucson. These people consider this place home. They teach soccer, they teach baseball, and do other sorts of volunteer work.