Brown Worked with Sen. Rob Portman to Help Secure Advanced Flight Simulator at Rickenbacker, Recently Secured Authorization for Small Arms Range at the Base
COLUMBUS, OH – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) visited the 121st Air Refueling Wing in Columbus and toured the Air National Guard Base. During the tour, Brown saw the KC-135 Stratotanker, a plane that provides refueling support to the U.S. Air Force and the Air National Guard. Brown also saw the KC-135 flight simulator, which he helped secure to improve the 121st mission readiness.
“The men and women of the 121st Air Refueling Wing are among the best in the world at what they do and I was glad to come back to Rickenbacker today to once again see their work firsthand,” said Brown. “Central Ohio is proud of the mission the 121st Air Refueling Wing performs every day, and we’ll continue working to secure the resources necessary to best support them.”
In 2016, Brown and Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) led the entire Ohio Congressional Delegation in efforts to secure the KC-135 air refueling tanker flight simulator at the 121st Air Refueling Wing. The simulator will help enhance combat readiness, secure and maintain future missions, and bring additional jobs to central Ohio.
Last August, Brown secured an authorization for $8 million in funding to construct a small arms range at Rickenbacker. In January 2018, Brown wrote to then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis requesting the funding for Rickenbacker. As a member of the Conference Committee, Brown fought for several Ohio priorities, including the Rickenbacker arms range.