Tillis & Burr: Air Force Will Be Held Accountable Following Decision To Deactivate The 440th | Eastern NC Now

Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Richard Burr (R-NC) issued the following statements in response to a letter from leaders of the Air Force and Army certifying the deactivation of the 440th Airlift Wing at Fort Bragg's Pope Airfield...

ENCNow
Press Release:

 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Richard Burr (R-NC) issued the following statements in response to a letter from leaders of the Air Force and Army certifying the deactivation of the 440th Airlift Wing at Fort Bragg's Pope Airfield:

"I am surprised and deeply disappointed with the Army's decision to acquiesce to the Air Force's strategy for how they will complete training at Fort Bragg," said Senator Thom Tillis. "Now the burden is on the Fort Bragg commanders to demonstrate to Congress and the Fayetteville community that they have not jeopardized the needs of the Global Response Force to placate the reckless desires of budget cutters in the Pentagon. In my discussions with the former commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps and soldiers and airmen at Fort Bragg, they say it makes no sense, will negatively affect their flexibility, and will likely threaten their ability to provide the training needed to complete their mission. The fact that I received this update not from the Air Force, but from third parties, further undermines my confidence in this decision and galvanizes my commitment to holding the parties accountable. For as long as I am a U.S. Senator, the Air Force can fully expect me to require that they demonstrate, on a monthly basis, how they are meeting their obligation to provide assets at Pope Airfield and fulfilling the training requirements of our brave men and women."

"This is the latest in a series of decisions that could very well prevent our armed forces from being as prepared as they should be," said Senator Richard Burr. "The 82nd Airborne is our global response force, often deployed to hot spots like Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. The Special Operations units that call Fort Bragg home require dedicated air support to properly train for the missions that America and our allies calls on them to perform. I'm concerned that this is going to negatively impact national security and decrease the readiness of combat units at Fort Bragg that are essential in the current fight against terrorism. We are depriving them of an important asset that they have relied on for decades and now is not the time to remove important resources from our troops."

  • Contact:
  • Daniel Keylin/Meghan Burris (Tillis)
  •   (202) 224-6342
  • Becca Watkins/Taylor Holgate (Burr)
  •   (202) 228-1616

Go Back

HbAD0

Latest Bloodless Warfare: Politics

Tax Day is a week away, and the reports are in: North Carolinians are winning big with record-setting tax returns thanks to President Trump and Republicans' Working Families Tax Cuts.
Change in schedule for executive committee meeting. Meeting Thursday April 9 is cancelled.
After years in the limelight for his combative style both with Democrats and his fellow Republicans, Crenshaw's future now unsure.
If he wins in November, Teixeira will be the all-time Congressional home run leader.
The county boards of elections in Guilford and Rockingham counties on Tuesday morning will begin a partial hand recount of ballots in randomly selected precincts in the N.C. Senate District 26 contest between candidates Phil Berger and Sam Page.
The 1926 Beaufort County Republican Convention will be held at the court house on Thursday April 6 at 6:00 PM. Be there by 5:30 in order to register. There is a 5 dollar fee.
Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger has requested a recount in the SD-28 Republican primary against challenger Sheriff Sam Page, after the race ended with one of the narrowest margins in recent North Carolina election history.
North Carolinians are feeling historic relief this tax season thanks to President Trump and Republicans' Working Families Tax Cuts, as the average refund tops $3,700.
(RALEIGH) Today Governor Josh Stein and First Lady Anna Stein visited Green Magnet Elementary School and read to students in celebration of Read Across America Day.

HbAD1

In-person early voting for the 2026 primary election begins Thursday and ends at 3 p.m. February 28 in all 100 counties.
On occasion, the election season has a way of bringing forth much good fruit, which is often the case when hard working and intelligent agents of stability, through changing the dynamic of our societal path, join the political paradigm to help we, the self-governed, do far better for ourselves.
In Commissioner Deatherage's Campaign for Re-election, as your Conservative County Commissioner, Washington Mayor Pro Tem Nick Fritz endorsed Candidate Stan Deatherage to remain in office to lead a Conservative renaissance here in Beaufort County.
The Republican party has transformed in a number of ways over the past 20 years.
The Sheriff then stated he worked for the judicial branch. That was enough internet for me in one day. I could feel my brain shrinking.
The GDP numbers tell the story: President Trump's economic agenda is delivering real results for North Carolinians.
This week marks the start of tax season - and thanks to President Trump and Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts, North Carolinians are keeping more of what they earn.

HbAD2

Conservative club meets Thursday January 29 at 6:00 PM at King Chicken Restaurant. This is our second meeting this month.
The Thursday, January 8th meeting of the Beaufort County Republican Executive Committee ended after Washington City police were called to the Beaufort County Ag Center at the request of Committee Chair Carolyn Garris.
A federal judge will not issue an injunction blocking local Watauga County election districts created by the Republican-led North Carolina General Assembly.
The State Board of Elections will hold a remote meeting via WebEx at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court held oral arguments over allowing states to ban biological males from competing in women's sports.
The Republican queen Garris has issued an edict last night declaring me along with Sheri Clark and Janet Knight to have tripped the switch to have automatically resigned from the Beaufort County Republican executive committee.
The company's mortgages cost $4,600 more than competitors' on average.
For the first time in state history, registered Republicans now outnumber registered Democrats in North Carolina, according to the most recent voter registration snapshot based on data from the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

HbAD3

 
 
Back to Top