WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND
By Scott Hennen
Host of “What’s On Your Mind?” Radio Show
heard on the Flag Family Network including KTGO 1090AM in Watford City, Williston and Tioga, North Dakota
The United States Senate Armed Services subcommittee that oversees the entire U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army, has a new Chairman, Senator Kevin Cramer. The role gives Cramer direct nexus to North Dakota’s Air Force bases in Grand Forks and Minot. The subcommittee also oversees the National Guard and Reserve. We’re blessed with about 4,000 Guard soldiers and airmen dispersed across the state in units such as the 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment out of Grand Forks and the 119th Air Wing “Happy Hooligans” in Fargo.
“You couldn’t exaggerate the importance of the Armed Services Committee’s Airland Subcommittee right now,” said Cramer. “It has a central role in ensuring our national defense, and of course North Dakota’s robust defense ecosystem is full of Air Force and Army capabilities directly under the Airland Subcommittee’s jurisdiction. North Dakota’s B-52 bombers, the RQ-4s, the MQ-9s, the UH-60s, and the UH-72 aircraft are all legacy contributions that are mightily important to our first constitutional responsibility, the common defense of the nation, Cramer told me. “There are future platforms on the horizon requiring great stewardship. I’m really looking forward to leading this important subcommittee and ensuring our service members and our country are properly equipped to address our most pressing threats from our adversaries, and they are a growing group.”
To say this is a really big deal for North Dakota is to excel at understatements.
The Chairman Emeritus of the esteemed National Defense Industrial Association, Dick McConn, reacted to the news by telling me “It’s a very high responsibility, especially in times as important as they are right now.” McConn, a retired Air Force Officer and Valley City native, added “Cramer now has virtual power to continue programs or to start new programs or to kill some existing programs.”
Cramer speaks often about accumulating and expending political capital which has allowed him to quietly accomplish significant wins for North Dakota’s war fighters. “Grand Forks Air Force Base is a great example. It was dead three years ago. It was about to be closed and through the work of Kevin Cramer and some help from John Hoeven, but especially Cramer, we not only have been able to keep Grand Forks Air Force Base open, it has really proliferated,” said McConn.
The role our North Dakota military assets will play in the future defense of our great country is awe inspiring. In addition to the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance mission, there are well founded rumors that North Dakota will be home to a consolidated combat aircraft mission, which will fly along with our most advanced fighter aircraft.
Cramer was recruited to run for the U.S. Senate by President Trump. McConn believes that bond will pay big dividends when it comes time to finalize the future military assets that will land at Grand Forks, Minot and Fargo’s military bases. “President Trump probably has more confidence or a better relationship with Cramer than anybody else in Congress. He calls him for advice.” It’s good to be us.
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