By Mary Alice Murphy

On Tuesday, March 19, 2019, Holloman Air Force Base Commander Col. Joe Campo and Chief Master Sgt. Sarah M. Esparza, Command Chief, visited Silver City, along with a contingent of other staff members and Alamogordo residents, including the Chamber of Commerce Executive Director GB Oliver and Sen. Bill Burt.

At noon, they spoke at the Rotary luncheon.

Esparza introduced herself as the enlisted arm of the command.

Campo is the wing commander at Holloman AFB. "I'm the senior officer there. We have about 10,000 including families, kids, spouses, schools. It's like running a small town. I've been there eight months."

"I help the commander by being an advisor for the more than 3,000-member enlisted corps," Esparza said. "I'm their voice."

Campo said he has done a lot of outreach in Alamogordo and decided the base personnel needed to reach out to other communities. "After we visit here, we are headed to Deming. We wanted to go out and put a face to Holloman."

"We encourage the people stationed there to get out and see the rest of New Mexico," Esparza said. "A lot come out here to the Gila for camping and exploring."

"We are a premier flying training wing," Campo said. "We have more than 13,000 in training. We graduated 700 on the F-16 fighter aircraft in 2018. It is the 704th Test Group. We provide combat-ready pilots to the best Air Force in the world. We also host the upcoming Bataan Memorial March."

To a question about T-38s, Campo said the base only has two left for training. "We do have a small operation for T-38 maintenance." He explained that the T-38 is an advanced training aircraft—long and skinny—that can go supersonic. "We were the lead in training them before they put pilots in the F-16s. We have 85 F-16s on the ramp. We have one of several pilot trainings around the U.S. They do six months in the T-38 in Texas and Oklahoma, before coming to us. We actually used to have a stealth aircraft. We do not have F-35s. The closest are in Phoenix."

Campo said the F-16 is the best fighter aircraft ever. "It was specially built for air-to-air combat and to drop bombs. Our focus now is on ground support for troops in combat zones. Ten percent of our F-16 pilots are female. The Air Force is making a big push trying to figure out how to appeal to women to become pilots."

In response to a question about what locations they train over, Campo said they primarily fly over White Sands Missile Range and the Talon Military Operations Area to the south and east of the base.

"I am not aware of any scheduling over the Gila," Campo said. "We're awaiting the environmental impact statement and proposal from headquarters. The training that you are likely seeing over your area is from Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson."

Mark Richard, a Rotarian, asked what the advantage would be for Holloman to perform trainings over the Gila.

"It would likely be air-to-air combat training," Campo said. "We also do low level, but we restrict it to ranges where it is allowed, such as White Sands. Our ceiling is 18,000 feet. We can fly down to 300 feet above ground level in some parts of the Talon MOA."

A person asked: "With drones, how long will the need be for human pilots?"

"I have flown remote drones in Afghanistan from Las Vegas, Nevada," Campo said. "Do we want to automate to only drones? I think we will fly manned aircraft for a long, long time."

Scott Terry, president and director of Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce asked if Holloman offers tours of the base.

"We have a Fast Track open house next month," Campo said. "Once we've talked to other communities, we will invite you over. We're particularly proud of Bear Base. When Tindall AFB in Florida got hit with Hurricane Michael, we sent 17 places to sleep, go to the bathroom and with little kitchens."

When asked what other communities they were going to visit, Campo said: "Deming this afternoon, then Artesia, Carlsbad, Roswell and Hobbs. You're our first visit."

He answered a question about all the planes mothballed at Davis-Monthan in Tucson. "We can use them as aerial targets, and we can pull a part from them, if needed."

Another question asked him whether the U.S. is safer from a military perspective than it was 18 years ago.

"Yes, we are the best technologically trained military in the world," Campo said. "We have the best Air Force in the world. We can deter and defend anywhere in the world. We are seeing a refocus on peer competition. The F-16s are part of it, and with our move toward B-21s and F-35s, I have confidence in our technology. We also have the most highly educated and trained force we've ever been. Many of our enlisted have degrees."

Esparza said: "We'll take a 17-year-old and train them. We encourage them to go to college or learn another trade. We make sure all of us constantly stay up on our education."

Magdaleno Manzanares asked Esparza what her role is.

"My role is advisory," Esparza said. "Joe and I are in lock step. We're on the same message."

"It keeps me from being insulated. I came in as an officer. She understands the enlisted side," Campo said. "We make no major decisions without both of us."

When he learned he was taking the role of commander, he knew he could hire someone. "We hit it off over a phone interview."

Esparza said her background has been family, food, fun and education. "I care about our airmen and taking care of our surrounding community. And being good stewards and good neighbors."

Terry noted that if someone wanted to tour the base, "it is a military installation. You have to have the proper ID."

Campo asked his security forces, and the representative said the newer New Mexico REAL ID driver's license or a passport would be required.

The Alamogordo and Holloman contingent left for a meet and greet at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center, where they met with community leaders, including Santa Clara Mayor Richard Bauch, Silver City Town Councilor Jose Ray, Silver City MainStreet Project director Charmeine Wait, District 39 Rep. Rodolpho "Rudy" Martinez and District 28 Sen. Gabriel Ramos. The visiting group chatted with different folks, who had the opportunity to ask questions.

For the latest on the airspace discussion, prior to the EIS, the latest information can be seen at https://hollomanafbairspaceeis.com/alternatives.aspx