Noise at Luke AFB complaint -

[Boats]

got this a little while ago thought you'd all like to have some input.

Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were.

A certain Lieutenant Colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back. Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed his/her day at the mall. When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB officer, it must have stung quite a bit.

_____________________________

The complaint:

'Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base:

Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this
wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird special? Any response would be appreciated.

The response:

Regarding 'A wake-up call from Luke's jets'

(Letters, Thursday):

On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship flyby of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques.... Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.

At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend. Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.

A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.

The letter writer asks, 'Whom do we thank for the morning air show?' The 56th Fighter Wing will make the call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.

Lt. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr. USAF


Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you.....

Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom

[82Rigger]

Good article, Boats!

Thanks for posting!

This same issue is currently being debated in our local newspaper.

We're about to get some of the new F-35s here at Eglin AFB for armament testing.

The F-35s are noisy.

People living next door to Eglin are writing the paper and bitching about the noise levels and "their quiet neighborhood going to hell"

and the planes AREN'T EVEN HERE YET!

I swear, sometimes I wish I could just reach through the newspaper and start slapping people!

[SuperScout]

As usual, I have a great idea: I'll hold the malcontents, and you can slap them, telling them all the while that the noise they might be hearing from Eglin AFB is actually the sound of liberty!! Friggin' ingrates!!

[melody1181]

I must be a strange one, I always kind of enjoy the noise of aircraft flying above. Must be a deep sleeper as I never hear it at night.

[Boats]

People want new airports and they go out and build these far into the boonies and build them - later new airport support business starts and then quickly followed by housing projects and then they start bitching about noise. If you move near an airport then shame on you. The Jet's will always have noise and moreso when you have military jets.

This is redundant but I can't figure it out. Your damned if you do and damned if you don't and you wonder why we are constantly having these battles over noise. All Military and Civy airports started in way out in the boondocks only to have small business move in followed by housing projects and then all the noise about noise begins. Go figure.

[Boats]

My bunk on one tour was directly under the No. 4 catch wire you want noise. I slept like the dead after 19 hours or more of flight ops. Today I hear one and I quickly look to see where its at. Always did as a kid as a sailor and now has old fart - still impressed by the wonders of airborn equipment.

[darrels joy]

We are currently ON Nellis. With Red Flag and the Thunderbirds, we get a variety of scenery in the sky.

The most entertaining people are those who walk out of the exchange or commissary and jump when one flies over low.

The North Las Vegas airport has 600 flights a day of small planes. It got surrounded by houses (not too close - there is a drive-n theatre next to it and a Wal Mart in the flight path) that people keep buying.

There were 2 crashes there in the last 2 weeks. The 1st one hit a house less than a mile away killing the pilot and both residents. The 2nd one tried to land one the road but hit power & phone lines. He crashed about a mile and a half away between houses and was the only one killed. Both pilots knew they were going down and tried to miss people.

But recently the National Guard training area across the freeway from Nellis removed their opposition to a new casino next to them. The base commander at Nellis did a firepower show a few years ago for the decision makers in Las Vegas & North Las Vegas. Afterward, they redrew the area where residential would not be allowed.

[Packo]

Here in Beaufort. Usually it's Yankee's who have moved here, didn't hear the jets before they left their little quiet New England towns like N.Y, Boston, Philly....now they don't want them.

Great story and true. In Beaufort we have Parris Island and The Marine Corps Air Station. FA-18's. While filming Prince of Tides, in Beaufort, we were unfortunate enough to have good ol' Barbara "Babs" Streisand living here. One day she called the Air Station to complain about the jets making too much noise. She actually told the CO to stop flying them until she finishes her movie and leaves. He told her, "My Jets will fly when ever I want them to fly. And as for the "noise", the Noise you hear is the sound of freedom", and hung up. He then had that put on the base sign and it's there today.

Lots of "Babs" stories here about how she abused staff and just about everyone she came in contact with. Just the opposite of all the other actors/actressess we've had in this town.

Pack