Wake Up Call from Luke AFB, AZ

I got this from my high school buddy who lives in Phoenix. Phoenix is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the country. Seems that there are always small minded people who decide to move near an airport or Air Force Base and quickly forget that the AFB and/or airport has been there many more years than the recent homeowner. Here's a poignant tale of one such person who is/was totally out of touch:

Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by
civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its
planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were.

A certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the
back. Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote
the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed
his/her day at the mall. When that individual read the response from a
Luke AFB officer, it must have stung quite a bit.

The complaint:

"Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for the
morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight
formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall,
continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our
good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call,
or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird
special? Any response would be appreciated."

The response:

Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets" (Letters, Thursday): On June
15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship flyby of F-16s
from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the
grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques.

Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at
Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day. At
9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial
Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend.

Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the
jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of
taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave
them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States
and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the
sacrifices they have endured. A four-ship flyby is a display of respect
the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom.
We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15
what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay
their ultimate respects.

The letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?"
The 56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the
widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was
in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their
lives.

Lt. Col. Scott Pleus
CO 63rd Fighter Squadron
Luke AFB