JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Texas Sen. Donna Campbell and Texas Land Commissioner George
P. Bush visited Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Feb. 24 to tour 12th Flying
Training Wing facilities and learn about its mission.
The 12th FTW hosted the officials during an afternoon visit
that included a mission brief, air traffic control tower tour and a T-38 static
display.
Campbell and Bush were greeted for the tour by Col. Michael
Snell, 12th FTW vice commander; Col. Michael Gimbrone, 502nd Security Forces
and Logistics Support Group commander; Meg Reyes, JBSA installation
encroachment manager; and Lt. Col. Emil Bliss, 12th FTW community initiatives
director.
The tour started with a mission brief in building 100, 12th
FTW headquarters. During the brief, Campbell and Bush learned about the vast
reach of the 12th FTW and how its leadership spreads across several different airframes
in three different geographic locations.
At the East air traffic control tower, Bliss explained to
Campbell and Bush why increased development near JBSA-Randolph may come with
obstacles to flying mission success.
“The community around JBSA-Randolph is growing. As more
businesses come to the area, we have to be prepared for things that might
affect our flying mission. If a restaurant is built close to a runway, it could
attract birds and pose a safety threat to our pilots,” Bliss said. “We have been
working with the community to make sure local officials understand how
development outside of our gates can affect our training and mission
readiness.”
After learning about the many factors that affect flight
operations at JBSA-Randolph, Bush and Campbell had the chance to see the
JBSA-Randolph flying mission up close with a static display of a T-38, which is
used to train fighter pilots and instructor pilots.
As a T-38 pilot, Bliss understands the various factors that
can affect flying operations and uses that knowledge to educate members of the
community.
“The Community Initiatives Office promotes a better
understanding of what we do in the 12th Flying Training Wing. Sometimes we work
with community leaders, other times with local residents,” Bliss said. “I’m
glad that Commissioner Bush and Sen. Campbell got to see how we get the mission
done every day. We are proud to have their support and the support of several
others throughout San Antonio.”