Why is Springfield Air National Guard Base here?
When seeing and hearing jets overhead, the most natural question is, “Why?” The simple answer is, because of current world tensions, there are plenty of threats to the United States. The Air Force’s primary job is national security. Since 2001, Springfield has trained pilots and other aircrew members for America’s front-line fighter aircraft. They have served with distinction around the globe during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The U. S. military keeps watch from the Arctic Circle to the deserts of the Middle East. When television news shows video footage of bombs striking with pinpoint accuracy during these operations, they often are from Air Force pilots employing munitions. That is why Springfield is here. Depending on their experience, pilots at Springfield ANG train anywhere from three weeks to seven months. They learn to employ the world’s most agile fighter, the Lockheed-Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon. Upon graduation, th
