Local opinion: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base remains vital to Tucson

The other day I was sitting out on my back porch watching the birds gobble up seeds I had put out. And as they went about enjoying their treat, I could hear the distinctive sound of a military jet from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base off in the distance. Within seconds it was overhead, and as it flew by, my attention shifted from watching birds peck at seeds to observing this plane. I’ve seen these jets before, but for some reason this one caused me to stop and give thought to exactly what I was watching. The sound of that jet engine, for all practical purposes, was telling me it was there to protect me; to protect my rights and my freedom. That jet was representing a strong deterrent and was an instrument of defense. Sitting there in that cool morning, I began to contemplate it all, and I found the sound of that jet to be a most welcome sound.

But I discovered not everyone saw the sound of the jet in the same way as I did. A neighbor who lived behind me once commented on the God-awful noise those blasted jets made flying over his house. It disturbed his serenity, he told me. It interrupted his work on the computer, and it was a nuisance as far as he was concerned. Needless to say, he had a very negative attitude toward the fact his home was in one of the flight patterns of Davis-Monthan. He only became aware of that fact after he had bought the house. I learned later he had moved.

That gentleman had missed the whole quintessence of an Air Force base situated in the heart of Tucson. He missed the critical importance of having jets fly over our city. The negative approach he took blotted out a few vital particulars about that base.

Setting aside the fact that Davis-Monthan does indeed represent the protection of our rights and freedoms, the base is more than just an Air Force base. It is a vibrant, living community within a community and it is a major contributor to the welfare of our region. D.M., as it is commonly known, employs approximately 3,000 Tucson civilians ranging from schoolteachers to management personnel at the boneyard. These are our neighbors engaged in gainful occupations, earning a living as a result of the base being situated in Tucson. What is little known about Davis-Monthan is that it is one of the region’s top three largest employers, both military and civilian. And of major importance, it has been estimated that D-M contributes approximately $3 billion annually to the Tucson and Pima County economies. That source of revenue for the area is an important factor in the financial stability of this region.

Davis-Monthan is actually a small village within itself; a community of between 9,000 and 10,000 inhabitants, made up of military personnel, dependents, retirees and the unique mission partners. In 2018, D.M. was awarded the Commander-in-Chief’s Installation Excellence Award as the best base in the Air Force. It’s an honor depicting the critical role D.M. plays in our nation’s security.

I never really got to know my disgruntled neighbor, but I would venture a guess that if the occasion ever came up, he would very much welcome the sound of those jets flying over his home instead of the sound of bombs exploding all around him or even on top of him. In his concern for his own comfort, he ignored the fact that protecting the lives of all citizens against any attack by a foreign adversary is the constant occupation of an Air Force base such as Davis-Monthan. And jets will fly overhead.

I enjoy my backyard pleasure of watching the birds pecking away at the seeds. And as I sit there, I know I am safe. I know I am safe because each time a jet from Davis-Monthan flies over, I am given an insurance policy that guarantees I will remain protected. And for that I am most grateful.