Pfluger Hosts Chief of Staff of U.S. Air Force at Goodfellow AFB

SAN ANGELO, TX — Four-star General Charles Q. Brown, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, was on the grounds of Goodfellow Air Force Base touring the facilities. The Chief of Staff of the Air Force is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the highest-ranking uniformed officer of the 685,000 person organization. Gen. Brown is not a stranger to west Texas. The F-16 instructor pilot and fighter wing commander is a 1984 graduate of Texas Tech University.

Having the Chief visit Goodfellow AFB is a big deal, Congressman August Pfluger said at a press conference held just outside the main gate of the base at noon. Pfluger was flanked by Tom Green County Judge Steve Floyd, San Angelo Mayor Brenda Gunter, banker Mike Boyd who serves as a commissioner on Gov. Abbott’s Texas Military Preparedness Commission, Judge-Elect Lane Carter, and President of the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce Walt Koenig.

The county judge office manages the State of Texas Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant (DEAAG) program that supplements the federal government where Pfluger fights for appropriations to fund infrastructure and resources for the Goodfellow AFB mission. The base trains firefighters as well as intelligence officers and technicians for every branch of the military.

Pfluger said the primary focus right now is procuring funding to improve the dormitories for the firefighting school. Boyd agreed, and added that the next DEAAG grant application will also focus on better security for the south gate at Kearney Blvd. and S. Chadbourne St.

The State of Texas provided grants previously to add and alter the Navy Dorm for 84 service members. Site preparation has also been completed for a 300-person temporary dorm complex.

Goodfellow AFB contributes $4.7 billion to the Texas and San Angelo economy, including about $1.5 billion in disposable personal income from 23,897 direct and indirect employees according to the Texas Comptroller. For comparison’s sake, Laughlin AFB near Del Rio contributes $1.6 billion to the Texas and Del Rio’s local economy. Dyess AFB in Abilene contributes $3 billion to Texas and its local economy. Both Laughlin and Dyess AFB are airfields with aircraft; Goodfellow AFB is not.

Goodfellow AFB’s mission grows in part because of the direct involvement of community leadership, including the county, city, school district, and Angelo State University.

“San Angelo has received the Altus [Trophy] award three times. No other city in the nation has received the Altus award more than once,” Mayor Brenda Gunter said. The AETC Altus Trophy is presented annually to the community near an Air Education Training Command base that provides the best support of the local military installation. Other AETC bases in Texas include Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, and Randolph AFB in San Antonio.

General Brown did not meet with the press. He was busy inside the base getting briefed on the details of the 17 TRW mission.