May 25, 2018

Members of the Vermont Air National Guard (VTANG)

Ahmann, Michael L – LtCol USAF ANG 158 FW/XP “Torch”

Baczewski, David P – Col USAF ANG 158 FW/CC “Baz”

Caputo, Christopher P – LtCol USAF ANG 158 OSF/CC, F-35 Program Integration Ofc “Pooter”

Clark, Joel A – Col USAF ANG 158 FW/FW

Cray, Steven A – MajGen USAF ANG, Adjutant General, Vermont, ”Wonder”

Dubie, Michael D – MajGen USAF ANG, Adjutant General, Vermont

Fick, Douglas E – Col USAF ANG 158 FW/FW

Finnegan, Daniel P – LtCol USAF ANG 158 MXS/CC “Gump”

Goodrow, Lloyd J – LtCol USAF ANG 158 LRS/LRS

Gookin, Christopher J – CPT USA VTARNG, State Public Affairs Officer

Harder, Henry U – Col USAF ANG “Boneman“

Harris, Richard N – BGen USAF NGVT

Jackman, Thomas W – Col USAF ANG 158 FW/CV

Villemaire, Jason R – Capt USAF ANG 158 CES/CE

Wright, Adam G – Civ USAF ANG 158 MDG/SG, Environmental Manager

Members of the Congressional Delegation and Staffers

Carnes, Alex – Office of U.S.Senator Patrick Leahy, Vermont

Copans, Jon  – Office of Representative Peter Welsh, Vermont

Goodman, Will – Legislative Fellow, Office of Senator Patrick Leahy

Leahy, Patrick – United States Senator, Vermont

Sanders, Bernie – United States Senator, Vermont

Tracy, John – Office of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, Vermont

Weinstein, David – Office of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Vermont, Senior Policy Advisor

Welch, Peter – United States Representative, Vermont

May 25, 2018

The process by which the United States Air Force selected the Vermont Air National Guard Station — co-located with the Burlington International Airport located in South Burlington, Vermont — involved an extensive analysis as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  It also involved highly inappropriate, unethical, and possibly prohibited, activities on the part of the Vermont Air National Guard (VTANG) and Vermont’s Senator Patrick Leahy including:

• interference in the process through manipulation of facts and data, such as, (intentional?) scoring errors designed to misrepresent facts on the ground,
• orchestration of public comments,
• inappropriate attempts by military personnel to intimidate members of the public, and
• withholding crucial information that directly affects public safety.

Marek to Faaborg (4-5-10) “Have no comments on the environmental sections for the F-35 three locations. I would question the statement that noise will not be a problem at Burlington, VT. This will be proven by the follow on scoping meetings and public hearings at Burlington. The airport does not have a big land foot print and sensitive receptors are located not far off the airport runway ends. I am not suggesting changing the statements made in this site survey. The EIAP with final EIS will provide the needed inputs for the decision makers.”  #40928

{The following three email exchanges are part of #46447}

Unidentified Sender to Penland (12-10-10) “HAHA! But the toughest part of this exercise is for anyone with integrity is that it IS a freakin’ loud aircraft! The only aircraft I have ever flown formation with that I can hear in flight from route position. (Now…forget I said that, and delete this email, and empty your trash. And the double-secret network trash cache, too!)”

Cray to Clark (3-12-10) “Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, who, as one of the most senior members of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the Senate National Guard Caucus, has led a decades’ long effort to ensure that the Vermont Air National Guard has the finest facilities, equipment, and training, and, in doing so, position Vermont to compete well for this important aspect of our national defense system.”  #40700

Bacon to Blankenship (7-27-10) “I heard from Sen Leahy’s staff today and they are looking at a 9 Aug date to meeting here in DC.  The point of this meeting is to get all players together (Burlington ANG, ACC, and Air Staff) to [sic] all to the personal staffers (JP Dowd and Will Goodman) about noise abatement as it relates to the city of Burlington, VT… Sounds like Burlington already has all the answers.  Pooter has been working this issue for a while.”  #43700

Rose to Wright (5-14-10) “We still have time to discuss your concerns regarding the changes since the 2006 Part 150 but just as an FYI, this is the same approach we were going to take with the JAX airport.”  #41588

Clark to Rose and Caputo (5-18-10) “…they are using our operational data from our latest noise study.  We do not want that—correct?  You may have this all under control, just wanted to check.”  #41607

Rose to Clark (5-18-10) “Sir, we are just in the data gathering and review mode.  We will confirm the approach we are taking with you (and get your input) before initiating our evaluations.  Just so you know, we need to be consistent (as much as possible) about how we model the bases and need to be able to justify/tell the story if we decide on different model approaches.”  #41607

Wright to Clark (6-30-10) “I asked Kevin Marek about the profile data used in the VTANG 2005 Noise Data Resource Book (NDRB).  He called the two main contractor POCs who worked on the report and both said the same thing:  that the base provided all of the data and had at least one shot at reviewing a draft document before it went final.  I also called John Ferraro, the former EM, and he recalled the same thing – all data came from the base, and he routed it internally for review.” #42541

May 24, 2018

Political Participation of Vermont Air National Guard Senior Officers 

MG Cray says “a vote of no” shows support for the Guard (2-9-18)

https://vtdigger.org/2018/02/09/air-guard-pushes-back-f-35-ballot-measure/

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MG Cray claims ballot item misleads the voters (2-9-18)

http://www.vermontbiz.com/news/2018/february/12/air-guard-responds-anti-f-35-burlington-ballot-question

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BG Clark says their press conference was held because of upcoming vote on ballot measure (3-1-18)

https://vtdigger.org/2018/03/01/vermont-air-guard-details-f-35-plans-ahead-contentious-ballot-measure/

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BG Clark says a vote of ‘no’ supports the Vermont Air National Guard (3-3-18)

http://freebeacon.com/issues/burlington-vt-prepares-vote-f-35-base/

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Vermont Air National Guard gives reporters a tour of base a week before Burlington vote stepping up their outreach efforts.  BG Clark called ballot item “inaccurate” (3-1-18)

http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-air-national-guard-prepares-f-35s-amid-burlington-vote-stop-them