ROYAL AIR FORCE MOLESWORTH, England

  • Published
  • By Staff Reports
ROYAL AIR FORCE MOLESWORTH, England --  Eleven local civic leaders toured the Joint Analysis Center and the Intelligence Fusion Centre in support of NATO located at RAF Molesworth, and facilities located at RAF Alconbury during a visit Tuesday. The visit to was hosted by the 501st Combat Support Wing and escorted by Col. Robert Steele, 423rd Air Base Group commander, and Ms. Penny Ash, British Community Relations Advisor.

The visiting delegation included The High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, Colonel Peter Horrell; Deputy Mayor of Peterborough, Councillor Patricia Nash; Chairman of the Huntingdon District Council, Councillor Philip Swales; Chairman of the Fenland District Council, Councillor Bernard Keane; Chairman of the East Northamptonshire District Council, Councillor Eloise Finch; Mayor of Godmanchester, Councillor Malcolm Cohen; Mayor of Huntingdon, Councillor Jennifer Sarabia; Mayor of St. Ives, Councillor Deborah Reynolds; Mayor of Ramsey, Councillor Ian Walker; Estate Manager of Alconbury Developments, Mr. John Bex; and Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Defence Police, Chief Superintendent Dave Long.

The group toured the U.S. European Command Joint Analysis Center at RAF Molesworth where it was hosted by Marine Colonel Peter H. Devlin, JAC Commander, who pointed out the role of the JAC in the time honored continuation of what British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the "Special Relationship" between our two great nations, and the large JAC volunteer contribution in the local community.

Army Colonel James E. Cashwell, IFC Commander next welcomed the group to the new Intelligence Fusion Centre in support of NATO and briefed the accomplishments to date of the IFC. After a visit to a memorial to the 303rd Bomb Group that flew from Molesworth during World War II the group returned to RAF Alconbury and toured several facilities including a wrap-up visit to "Bob the Dog" who demonstrated his infallible nose in detecting unwanted substances at the postal facility.

The civic leaders are regularly invted to the base for events but the visit allowed them the opportunity to see what the military members living in their communities do on base, and what happens at the facilities on a day-to-day basis.