The ADI reported in September, McCain cooked up the BRAC plan with Sen. Jack Reed to be included in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Unfortunately, while Rep. Martha McSally has claimed that the final defense bill the House passed “correctly prioritizes and supports our state’s assets including money for A-10 upgrades,” the $103 million authorized to begin re-winging the Warthog fleet, will only re-wing 3 planes. Without the A-10, Davis Monthan Air Force Base will likely end up on a BRAC short-list.
On Monday, Lieutenant Colonel (retired) “Tom Chuck” Norris, in an interview on the James T. Harris show criticized McSally for failing to champion the A-10. “Your listeners are going to hear a lot from people walking around in flight suits,” said Norris presumably referring to congresswoman McSally, “acting like they’re part of the team and I will tell you – this in my opinion – they have not done their job. They have not done their job. They have not honored the men and women on the ground and they are not going to be telling the public the truth when they say they’ve saved the A-10. It’s is flat out not true.”