[MilCom] Charleston AFB Airshow Cancelled

[MJ Cleary]

BASE CALLS OFF AIR EXPO
Officials focusing efforts on handling Iraq war demands

The Charleston Air Force Base Air Expo 2005 has been canceled because the war in Iraq comes first, officials said.
The popular show headlined by the Thunderbirds had been scheduled for April 30. Last year, more than 125,000 people attended the one-day showcase of aerial demonstrations and ground exhibits. It was the first air show in three years.

"Oh, man. I can't believe it's canceled. That's not fun," said Tony Brown, assistant manager of the Hilton Garden Inn near the North Charleston base. It's not only a good business weekend for the hotel, Brown said, but also something he's been looking forward to seeing.

"We realize this is a great event for the community and that people will be disappointed," Col. Susan Desjardins, 437th Airlift Wing commander, said in a news release.

"We share their disappointment. However, I hope everyone will understand that this is an extremely busy time in the Charleston Air Force Base's history, and it is not in our best interest to put on an event of this magnitude with all the other operational commitments we have. It is our goal to have an Air Expo in 2006."

The Charleston base is the second-busiest cargo hub in the Air Force, behind the Balad base in Iraq, said Lt. Bryan Lewis, base spokesman. Right now the Charleston base moves an average 220 tons of cargo per day.

Along with those operations, an Aerospace Expeditionary Force rotation scheduled for the spring could deploy some 800 base personnel. The Expeditionary Operational Readiness Inspection also is scheduled for April.

The decision to cancel was a matter of "not wanting to divide our people, not wanting to divide our assets" between real world operations and handling an air show, he said.