OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) - A runway filled with cracks and holes.
Commanders say the take-off and landing strip at Offutt Air Force Base needs a major overhaul. Politicians in Nebraska and in Washington agree.
And while there is great concern about what it means for the future of the 55th Wing, Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel says Offutt’s cracks don't necessarily stand out to Pentagon staff who decide on military planning.
“We've got runway problems all over the world,” Hagel said. “We have maintenance facility problems all over the world in every one of our bases."
The Air Force canceled its annual air show at the base in 2015 because of on-going repair work to the runway.
Nebraska elected officials, concerned about losing the millions of dollars worth of economic impact the base brings, have mobilized.
“Every mission is up for competition,” Bellevue state senator Sue Crawford told KMTV in December, before the Legislative session began. She has since introduced a bill in the Unicameral to establish an office for a liaison charged with keeping military jobs, especially the 55th Wing, here.
“So it is critical that we have the best facilities that we have, to make sure it's a strong case to stay in Nebraska,” Crawford said at the time.
But Hagel, who represented Nebraska in the U.S. Senate for two terms, says whoever holds the state liaison job won't likely influence military decisions about what goes where.
“Every recommendation was made not on politics, not on lobbying, but was made on the basis of what’s in the best interest of our country; the national security interest of our country, that's as it should be,” explained Hagel, who added that he believes Offutt AFB is crucial piece of military infrastructure and the base’s operations isn’t likely to change.
