Cochran joins Air Force Caucus

by Wally Northway

Published: October 12,2009

WASHINGTON — Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) has joined the Air Force Caucus, an organization for members of Congress who are interested in issues affecting the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard.

Cochran is the ranking Republican on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee as well as the overall Senate Appropriations Committee.

“There are a number of mission-related challenges facing Air Force installations in Mississippi and this group should give me another venue for representing those interests,” Cochran said.

The caucus provides a forum for members of Congress, their staffs and Air Force leaders to interact on a variety of issues facing the Air Force and Air National Guard. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) is also a member of this group.

Cochran noted that approximately two-thirds of the active duty personnel stationed in Mississippi are in the Air Force. In addition, the multiple Air Force installations in Mississippi face challenges, including: Keesler Air Force Base at Biloxi, which continues to recover damage caused by Hurricane Katrina and is expanding to host a new cyber training mission; Key Field Air National Guard Base at Meridian, which needs an operational flying mission to replace the aerial refueling mission it will lose next year; Thompson Field Air National Guard Base at Jackson; and, Columbus Air Force Base.

Cochran is also a member of the Senate National Guard Caucus.