CBAT loss disappoints area leaders

The U.S. Air Force has cancelled plans for the Common Battlefield Airmen Training (CBAT) program, which Arnold Air Force Base had been under consideration to host.

"I am disappointed that Middle Tennessee will not benefit from the hundreds of jobs this program would have produced," said U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon in an e-mail to the Times-Gazette.

Arnold AFB is the home of Arnold Engineering Development Center, a collection of facilities including wind tunnels and rocket engine and satellite test cells. But the Arnold AFB reservation has a large amount of unused land and had been one of three Air Force bases -- along with Moody AFB near Valdosta, Ga., and Barksdale AFB in Bossier City, La. -- competing to host the CBAT program. Environmental studies had been conducted for each of the three locations, but the selection process had been delayed for months.

Shelbyville & Bedford County Chamber of Commerce president Walt Wood said that he was disappointed about the announcement.

"I'm sure our neighbors in Louisiana and Georgia are also disappointed, but we knew it was a possibility that at some point this could be canceled," Wood said. "I hope we can work with the Air Force and see if we could win some other missions for AEDC."

Wood said many Bedford County residents already work at the base and "we want to make sure those jobs are maintained, and see if we can increase some of the activities out there."

Wood is a former president of the Arnold Community Council but said he was speaking in his role with the Chamber.

"I believe that Arnold is well equipped to meet the Air Force's needs and will continue to be a strong voice in support of an expanded role for this base," Gordon said.

CBAT, as originally described by Air Force officials, was intended to train airmen for combat conditions. The unique nature of the conflict in the Middle East and in other locations has placed some airmen in harm's way on the ground in ways different from the past. As envisioned, it would have trained more than 14,000 airmen a year in a series of 25-day courses. As many as 1,872 airmen might participate at any given time. The program would have required 800 permanent personnel, including 600 instructors and 200 support staff.

But the Air Force now says the program is not necessary.

AEDC's public affairs office referred questions about the program to the Air Force Press Desk in Washington.

Air Force spokeswoman Vicki Stein issued a statement on the decision.

"We are committed to providing the most effective training for our Airmen who deploy to deliver capabilities vital for today's joint fight," begins the statement. "After a thorough review, we have determined that creating a new program to teach combat skills is not the best solution for our Airmen or the Combatant Commanders we support. The best way forward is to optimize our existing training venues.

"Foundational and specialized training for our Airmen is in place and meets the needs of the warfighter. We are focused on delivering the right training at the right time....

"Since 2001 we have continually added combat skills training courses for all Airmen as well as specialized training for our deploying Airmen based on inputs from commanders .... We have enhanced our foundational training through such measures as extending basic military training from 6 to 8 1/2 weeks. The additional time provides Airmen training on war-fighting skills they need in a deployed combat location, such as the use of small arms and emergency medical skills. In addition, we have developed specialized training such as Counter-IED, and Convoy Operations."

--T-G Staff Writer Brian Mosely contributed to this report.