Unnecessary OLF

I am a resident of Surry County. If the new naval landing field is built in Surry County, our family farm would be beneath concrete. Adm. Gary Roughead has stated “that it is needed to simulate carrier landings in a near total darkness environment.” I fail to see how concrete can simulate the rise and fall and the pitch and roll of a carrier flight deck on the open sea. I also fail to see how 2 miles of white concrete can simulate a near total darkness environment.

It seems to me that the technology of auto-darkening lenses used in the welding industry could be used on the canopies of these practicing aircraft. This could be done for a

fraction of the $250 million needed for the new airfield. The aircraft could employ this technology and land at the same base they took off from. There are also forts and bases recently closed that could be used. Why build another airfield?

It is a sad day in America when the invading force threatening to take our homes and land is the U.S. military. The decision-makers are so out of touch with reality that civilians are nothing more than a dot on the map.

Rep. Bobby Scott has shown backbone by standing with us in opposition. Is he the only elected official who has one?

H.E. Byrum, Spring Grove