02.01.16

Hoeven Meets with New Air Force Under Secretary Lisa Disbrow

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven met with newly confirmed Under Secretary of the Air Force Lisa Disbrow to discuss key defense issues and North Dakota’s role ahead of her upcoming visit to the state. The Senate approved her nomination earlier last month.

“I am pleased that Undersecretary Disbrow is going to see in person the missions the Air Force performs in Minot and Grand Forks,” Hoeven said.  “I wanted to highlight several things we’ve been working on at both bases and offer my support to the Air Force as it seeks to upgrade its equipment and improve facilities in North Dakota and around the country.”

During the meeting, Hoeven and Disbrow discussed priorities at Minot and Grand Forks.  For Minot, Hoeven highlighted the success of the nuclear force improvement program as well as the need to continue to invest in efforts to modernize the B-52 and the base’s fleet of intercontinental ballistic missiles.  Hoeven also stressed the importance of ensuring pay rates for Air Force civilians remains consistent with private sector pay in a fast growing region.

For Grand Forks, Hoeven provided Disbrow with background on the area’s unmanned aircraft system (UAS) integration efforts and how the private sector, the academic community and the FAA fit alongside Air Force UAS operations at the base.  He also again made the case for basing the KC-46 tanker mission in Grand Forks.

Disbrow will travel to the state with Lieutenant General Jack Weinstein, who is now Deputy Air Force Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration at the Pentagon and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General David Goldfein. They are expected to travel to both bases next week where they will tour facilities, review missions and speak with service members at each base.

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