Great response by the USAF officer. Love it!!
Note: And what was left out of this article is the simple fact that these houses are being built in violation of a contract that Luke has long had with Sun City (and other nearby localities), which continues issuing housing permits on land that has specifically been proscribed from residential housing for this very reason. Sun City has been openly ignoring this contract, and continues to do so, because it wants the new tax money and construction jobs, believing that new residents will raise enough stink to get Luke to not use the area for its low-flying space, just like the original writer here has done. Now you know the rest of the story. Nice, huh?
Steve
Noise Complaint at Luke AFB, AZ
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 their 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 Mervyn's 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 fly-by 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 fly-by, 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 fly-by is a display of respect the Air Force gives 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.
Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you.....Jesus Christ and the
American Soldier. One died for your soul and liberty; the other for your natural freedom.
(signed) Lt. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr. USAF