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Tinker AFB is only a few miles from the paths of those devastating Tornados, actually suffering damage from them. How wise is it to have billions of dollars of aircraft, crews and families in an area that has been hit three times by the worst tornadoes in history.
There is nothing housed on Tinker that could not be relocated to other active or a reactivated base. Like many Air Force Bases, if the housed units simply occupy space with no specialized accommodations, they can be relocated as and where needed. With that said, Tinker has positioned itself in a unique way by housing multiple, related and complimentary organizations, and has integrated these group's operations in such a way that moving "A" here, and "B" there, isn't the smart thing to do. They can move the ‘air wings’ and supporting services to other bases, but the overall multi-bases, service branches, agencies, and international support functions really need to remain in a cohesive location and that’s probably way too big for existing active occupied installations so a active use low occupancy – high vacancy installation is needed, or a vacant former installation would need to be reactivated.
Tinker AFB is only a few miles from the paths of those devastating Tornados, actually suffering damage from them. How wise is it to have billions of dollars of aircraft, crews and families in an area that has been hit three times by the worst tornadoes in history.
There are major military bases in hurricane and earthquake prone areas as well. Tinker also isn't the only AFB in tornado alley. Oklahoma City is geographically huge. Tinker was hit on May 3, 1999 but the May 20, 2013 tornado went a good deal south of it.
There are major military bases in hurricane and earthquake prone areas as well. Tinker also isn't the only AFB in tornado alley. Oklahoma City is geographically huge. Tinker was hit on May 3, 1999 but the May 20, 2013 tornado went a good deal south of it.
Like Holmstead in Florida? That was closed because of Hurricaines. Tinker is less than 10 miles from those Tornado strikes. Seems the only thing keeping it open is politics
Like Holmstead in Florida? That was closed because of Hurricaines. Tinker is less than 10 miles from those Tornado strikes. Seems the only thing keeping it open is politics
That's why a lot of things happen in the military.
A military base can inject a lot of money into the local economy through jobs on base, housing, shopping, taxes, etc... If one closes, the local economy would take a hit and in some cases, it would just destroy the town totally. Fort Polk next to Leesville is an example.
So in order to appease their constituents, the politicians fight to keep bases open even if it isn't needed. And this also goes for equipment that we don't need anymore, the factories that produce the equipment provide jobs and politicians don't want to see jobs leave.
There are major military bases in hurricane and earthquake prone areas as well. Tinker also isn't the only AFB in tornado alley. Oklahoma City is geographically huge. Tinker was hit on May 3, 1999 but the May 20, 2013 tornado went a good deal south of it.
In the classic "Tornado Alley" there are 9 AFBs and 3 major Army installations. However, tornadoes have been very destructive further east and south as well, with Barksdale (LA), Columbus, MS, Little Rock and Maxwell (AL) all affected by tornadic storms in their immediate vicinity. It's a matter of probabilities. I'd be more concerned about installations in places like the Florida Panhandle, the Texas Gulf Coast, and the eastern seaboard with hurricanes, which are larger in scale and more frequent. Homestead, 1992, is an excellent example.
Tinker was hit twice in a six-day period in 1948. The second tornado was likely the first accurately predicted. The recent 20 May 2013 tornado was well south, but the day before the 19 May tornado, which hit Shawnee, damaged homes just south of Tinker; there are still a lot of blue-tarp roofs at Air Depot and I-240, at least as of 14 Jun 2013.
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