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Will Wright-Patt's role in Afghanistan change under Obama plan?

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By John Nolan, Staff Writer 5:55 PM Monday, November 30, 2009

Air Force officials say it could be weeks before Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and other bases learn what additional resources they may be called on to provide in support of President Obama’s decision to send additional troops to Afghanistan.

The president, who has been soliciting information from advisers on how to proceed in that war, is to announce his decision to the American public in a speech at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1. According to published reports Monday, Obama has decided to dispatch 30,000 to 35,000 additional troops, with a priority goal of training Afghan troops to take over the fighting, and will tell the nation that the U.S. military commitment in Afghanistan won’t be open-ended.

At any given time, Wright-Patterson has a total of between 300 to 500 airmen deployed to various locations, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Southeast Asia. Base spokesmen were unable to provide a more precise breakdown of those deployments on Monday.

The 445th Airlift Wing, an Air Force Reserve unit, flies the massive C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft from Wright-Patterson, typically several times each week, to deliver weapons, ammunition, military gear, soldiers’ belongings and other cargo to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, or other intermediate points for shipment on to the front lines of the U.S. war against terrorism.

It could be weeks before the 445th receives direction from its command as to how the president’s decision would affect its operations, said Maj. Cynthia Harris, spokeswoman for the wing at Wright-Patterson.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is to sign off on orders committing specific units to the bolstered effort in Afghanistan, said Maj. Shawn Turner, a Gates spokesman at the Pentagon. The armed forces then notify those units, which in turn notify the families, Turner said.

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Can it, SMARG.

ART
5:50 PM, 12/4/2009

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Hey Deb,
Unenployment benefits? I have an Idea on how to combat this problen...Get a freaking job and quit leaching off of me and other taxpayers!

Patrick
4:01 PM, 12/1/2009

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Hey Smarg,
You may wanna read the article before you post. It says that Wright Patt will be SENDING resources, not getting more. All resources the base recieves for military side still isn't enough so you may wanna get facts before you belittle the people who protect your freedom.

READ
2:43 PM, 12/1/2009

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My God, Wright-Patt does NOT need any more resources. Massive fraud, waste, and abuse at that place. Mostly parasites playing all day on their computers. Sheesh.

Smarg
1:13 PM, 12/1/2009

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It took Obama months to come up with a strategy that we had for many years in Iraq of training their forces. Wow, it looks like the hope and change was just a fancy slogan that fooled many of the American voters. I am sure much of the speech will be about our exit strategy which will be something the Taliban will be happy to hear and can wait out in their caves.

Pete Moss
12:40 PM, 12/1/2009

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