U.S. SENATOR JONI ERNST OF IOWA HAS ONCE AGAIN BROUGHT UP THE ONGOING DELAY OF FUNDING A NEW RUNWAY FOR SIOUX CITY’S 185TH AIR NATIONAL GUARD REFUELING WING.
DURING A SENATE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HEARING, SENATOR ERNST ASKED FOR A COMMITMENT FROM THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE, GENERAL DAVID ALLVIN, TO UPGRADE THE RUNWAY USED BY THE 185TH SO THEY MAY USE THE NEW STYLE REFUELERS THAT WILL REPLACE THE KC-135’S CURRENTLY IN USE:
https://kscj.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/185TH1.mp3
185TH1 OC…………. HAS NOT HAPPENED. :28
ERNST, WHO SERVED IN THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD, POINTED OUT THE CRITICAL ROLE THE UNIT PLAYS IN DEFENDING THE HOMELAND AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE UNIT TO IOWA AND THE SIOUXLAND AREA:
https://kscj.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/185TH2.mp3
185TH2 OC……FOR THIS RUNWAY. :16
GENERAL ALLVIN NOTED THAT DESIGN WORK PROGRESS IS REMOVING OBSTACLES TO BE ABLE TO FINISH THE RUNWAY UPGRADES:
https://kscj.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/185TH3.mp3
185TH3 OC…..PAST THE 35% DESING. :27
SENATOR ERNST PRESSED THE GENERAL ON HIS COMMITMENT:
https://kscj.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/185TH4.mp3
185TH4 OC……..ACTUALLY DO IT. :15
ERNST REMINDED THE COMMITTEE THAT THE AIRFIELD IS NAMED AFTER COLONEL BUD DAY, A SIOUX CITY NATIVE AND FIGHTER PILOT WHO WAS AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR AND AIR FORCE CROSS FOR HIS SERVICE IN VIETNAM WHERE HE SURVIVED A P-O-W CAMP.
FILE PHOTO
The post ERNST PUSHES HARDER FOR NEW 185TH AIR GUARD RUNWAY appeared first on KSCJ 1360.
