Senator Lisa Murkowski today questioned U.S. Air Force officials about the state’s increasingly-vital role in the nation’s defense, as well as the potential placement of F-35s in Alaska
Sen. Murkowski: “You know that I will continue to maintain, that when we’re talking about the proximity of the Pacific Theater, the polar considerations that Alaska and particularly Eielson is the ideal location for the F-35’s there. We will await the outcome of the site surveys this summer.”
Murkowski also took the opportunity with several members of Air Force leadership appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee to inquire how the Air Force and National Guard are addressing the military sexual assault epidemic plaguing the ranks.
Sen. Murkowski: “From Alaska’s perspective and what we have seen and the failure to find closure with respect to these aligations really leaves a cloud out there.”
Murkowski then proceeded to her next line of questioning, asking National Guard Bureau Chief General Frank Grass about the troubling allegations of sexual assaults within the Alaska National Guard that she had asked the Pentagon to investigate last year.
