Study would be needed before ending C-130 program in Oklahoma City Published: Thu, May 10, 2012 The U.S. House Armed Services Committee has approved a defense funding bill that would delay efforts to end a program in Oklahoma City to upgrade the cockpits of U.S. Air Force C-130 transport planes. Read More

Defending Europe Updated: Wed, Feb 24, 2010 We are standing in the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, looking up at four heroically sized statues of a soldier, sailor, airman and a Coast Guardsman. Behind them on a 472-foot-long Wall of the Missing are the words "All who shall here after live in freedom will be reminded that to these men and their... Read More

Base closures bring construction Updated: Thu, Apr 23, 2009 WASHINGTON — For Oklahoma, the 2005 round of base closures was a stimulus package. Fort Sill, the Army post adjacent to Lawton, is in the midst of a construction boom to accommodate the Air Defense Artillery school moving from Fort Bliss, Texas. Tinker Air Force Base also has some new facilities because of the... Read More

Air National Guard planes return Updated: Tue, May 9, 2006 Two Oklahoma Air National Guard planes have returned from overseas for what could be the last time. The C-130 transport planes ferried about 50 Guard personnel back from Afghanistan over the weekend, Col. Pat Scully said. It was the last scheduled deployment for members of the 137th Tactical Airlift Wing. Eight... Read More

President sends BRAC report to Congress Updated: Fri, Sep 16, 2005 WASHINGTON -- President Bush announced Thursday that he has accepted the report of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, which calls for strengthening some of Oklahoma's active duty installations and a major reorganization of the state's National Guard and Reserve centers. The president forwarded the... Read More

Fort Bliss training unit would move to Lawton, bringing about 3,500 jobs Updated: Thu, Aug 25, 2005 WASHINGTON The base-closure commission voted unanimously Wednesday that Fort Sill should get the Air Defense Artillery school now in Texas, a move that would transfer thousands of military positions to the Lawton area post and prompt a construction boom. Lawton readies for real estate boom Read More

BRAC commission votes to move accounting positions from Fort Sill Updated: Thu, Aug 25, 2005 Fort Sill, which will gain an estimated 3,600 military and civilian jobs in the latest round of military consolidations, suffered a setback Thursday when the Base Closure and Realignment Commission voted to send 233 accounting jobs to other states. Commissioners voted to accept the Pentagon's recommendation that... Read More

Officials debate relocation plan Updated: Tue, Jul 12, 2005 WASHINGTON - Oklahoma and Texas officials offered competing opinions Monday to the base closure commission on whether Fort Sill could accommodate thousands of new troops and air defense artillery training now being conducted at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. At a hearing in San Antonio held by members of the... Read More

State contingent to attend hearing Updated: Sun, Jul 10, 2005 WASHINGTON - A contingent of Oklahomans is scheduled to speak Monday at a base realignment and closure commission hearing in San Antonio, where some Texans might argue against the Pentagon proposal that would send thousands of jobs to Fort Sill. At home on the range? Read More

Businesses near Fort Bliss leery of proposed changes Updated: Sun, Jul 10, 2005 EL PASO, Texas - Blanca Arevalo doesn't need to spend much time calculating the importance of the U.S. Army's Air Defense Artillery School to her dry cleaning shop. At home on the range? State contingent to attend hearing The solid row of green camouflage uniforms hanging behind her says all she needs to... Read More

At home on the range? Updated: Sun, Jul 10, 2005 FORT BLISS, Texas Three U.S. Marines stand side-byside, silhouetted against a domed movie screen of a landscape that looks eerily similar to those found in Iraq or Afghanistan. Each shoulders a mock Stinger missile. State contingent to attend hearing Read More

Fort Sill scenario ominous Updated: Mon, Jun 20, 2005 WASHINGTON - Last month, the Lawton area celebrated the Defense Department's recommendation to give Fort Sill a major training mission from another fort, along with more than 3,600 jobs. But just a few months before, key Pentagon officials meeting in the Army secretary's office were looking at a scenario that... Read More

State bases were safe in talks Updated: Fri, Jun 17, 2005 WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials who developed the base closure recommendations briefly considered closing the huge repair depot at Tinker Air Force Base, but quickly decided such a move was a "show stopper" with "unacceptable consequences," according to information released by the Pentagon. BRAC site... Read More

Military building boom expected Updated: Sun, Jun 12, 2005 WASHINGTON - More than $350 million in construction would be necessary to accommodate the changes on Oklahoma military bases and in some communities as part of the Pentagon's base realignment and closure plans. According to Defense Department documents, Fort Sill, the Army artillery post in southwest Oklahoma,... Read More

Former POW adjusts to life After Gulf War Updated: Thu, Jan 16, 1992 Marine Capt. Craig Berryman should be able to concentrate on thisyear's Super Bowl better than he could in 1991. Last year - the day after Buffalo Bills kicker Scott Norwoodmissed the winning field goal and the New York Giants won the SuperBowl - Berryman climbed into his Harrier jet and flew toward Iraqto bomb... Read More