The 21st century has brought about many changes for the U.S. Department of Defense that have affected all the military branches. The Air Force specifically has encountered a reduction of forces, base closures, and funding cuts to many of its programs. The message from the Department of Defense and Air Force senior leadership is simple: Resources will no longer be as available as they have been in the past. These course adjustments have been felt by all, including members at Beale Air Force Base.

Beale Air Force Base is located approximately 48 miles north of Sacramento in Northern California. The base has had a long history since it opened its gates in 1942. During World War II, the base’s 86,000 acres were home for more than 60,000 soldiers, a prisoner-of-war encampment, and a 1,000-bed hospital. During the late 1960s through the early 1990s, it was the home of the legendary supersonic SR-71 Blackbird, and for the past 35 years has been the home base for the renowned U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane.

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