Dover Air Force Base

Delaware state officials have found two more wells near Dover Air Force Base to be contaminated with dangerous chemicals.

Environmental official issued a lifetime health advisory to the public that the levels of PFOS and PFOA were higher than the EPA’s 70 parts per trillion safety standard.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Officials are preparing to send potable water to properties near Dover Air Force Base in Delaware after private wells were found to have chemical contaminants exceeding federal health advisory levels.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Delaware officials say high levels of a worrisome class of manmade chemicals have been detected in four private wells near Dover Air Force Base.

Officials said in a news release Sunday that they had been notified about the elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalykyl substances, or PFAS, by the U.S. Air Force and Dover Air Force Base.

Wells at the base have PFAS levels above a federal health advisory limit, and testing of nearby private wells has been ongoing.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Firefighters in three states honored a U.S. Marine and firefighter who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.

A police-escorted funeral procession carrying the remains of Staff Sgt. Christopher Slutman left Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Monday. It travelled through New Jersey and into New York City to a funeral home in the Bronx.

Firefighters along the way paid their respects to Slutman, who was a 15-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - The remains of three Marines killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan arrived Thursday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

The Pentagon said 43-year old Staff Sgt. Christopher K. A. Slutman of Newark, Delaware; 31-year-old Sgt. Benjamin S. Hines of York, Pennsylvania, and 25-year-old Cpl. Robert A. Hendriks of Locust Valley, New York, were killed on Monday when a bomb struck their vehicle near Bagram Air Base north of Kabul.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Some $39 million that had been slated for an aircraft hangar at the Dover Air Force Base could be diverted to fund President Trump's border wall.

The project is on the list the Pentagon has put out of hundreds of projects around the U.S. that could be worth nearly $13 billion.

The Wilmington News Journal reports that Defense Department has said it would not touch those projects for which money was awarded by September 30th.

The Dover project is budgeted for this April so that it might not be effected.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - A bridge at Dover Air Force Base has been dedicated to the first Delaware woman killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Delaware State News reports government and military leaders gathered late last week at the base to name the bridge in honor of Senior Airman Elizabeth Loncki.

Loncki, a New Castle native, died in 2007 after her explosive ordnance disposal team was targeted by a car bomber. She was 23 at the time, and Sunday would have been her 35th birthday.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - The bridge serving Dover Air Force Base will be named after a Delaware airman who was killed in action in 2007.

The News Journal reported Tuesday that the bridge over Del. 1, which connects the base's main gate with base housing, will be named in honor of Senior Airman Elizabeth A. Loncki. A formal dedication has not been scheduled.

Loncki disarmed more than 20 explosive devices during her service on an explosive ordnance disposal team in Iraq. The New Castle native was 23 when she was killed in a car bombing near Baghdad.

United Airlines is now looking into why a commercial flight had to land at Dover Air Force Base.

The aircraft touched down at around 7:30 p.m. on Monday night about an hour after it took off from Newark.

It was bound for Palm Beach.

WBOC reports that the airline said there was a mechanical problem but did not specify what that was.

The passengers eventually arrived in Palm Beach on a different flight.

Col. Corey Simmons, Vice Commander of the 436th Air Lift Wing, told the television station that the situation was unusual and serious.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Dover Air Force Base officials are advising area residents that they are conducting an active shooter exercise.

Authorities say security procedures, including gate closures, will be implemented during Monday's exercise at the Delaware military base, and that motorists should plan for delays when travelling to or from the facility. State transportation officials plan to set up signs on Route 1 alerting motorists of possible delays.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Officials at Dover Air Force Base are advising local residents of an active shooter exercise.

Officials say that because of Tuesday's exercise, access to the base and facilities will be limited during the day.

Officials say personnel can expect significant delays at the gates, but that access to base housing will not be affected.  

Military officials are partnering with Delaware State Police in the exercise, and multiple police vehicles will be responding to the base.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Landing gear problems have prompted the Air Force to temporarily ground a fleet of cargo planes that operate out of Delaware's Dover Air Force Base.

The Air Force said in a statement Tuesday that the C-5 Galaxy planes experienced two malfunctions in 60 days. Both involved the nose landing gear. The order was issued on Monday.

Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II said crews inspecting the planes will figure out the problem and come up with a solution.

Dover is home to 18 of the Air Force's 56 C-5 cargo planes. Only Dover is affected.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Officials at Dover Air Force Base are preparing to welcome home a fallen soldier who was killed in Afghanistan.

Air Force Mortuary Affairs officials say the body of 20-year-old Army Pfc. Tyler R. Iubelt of Tamaroa, Illinois, was scheduled to arrive Tuesday at Dover, home to the nation's largest military mortuary.

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP) - Officials at Dover Air Force Base say a mosquito found there has tested positive for West Nile virus.
Officials say the discovery has prompted plans for a civil engineer squadron on base to begin treating standing water in the housing area with a larvicidal treatment, killing the larva before they become adults and a possible health threat.
Officials say the larvicides being used are safe for the environment and non-toxic to children and pets.
 

DOVER, Del. (AP) - The Dover Air Force Base's runway may still be undergoing renovations, but officials say takeoff and landing operations will soon be back at full capacity.

The Delaware State News reports that $98.3 million runway renovation is expected to fully conclude next spring. Officials said last week that they expect full operations to resume by late September.

Two post-World War II bombs were uncovered during construction on a runway at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility.

The Salisbury Daily Times reports that they were still intact.

Dover Air Force Base sent an ordnance disposal team who exploded the bombs last night.

Keith Kohler, a spokesman for the flight facility, said that the north end of the runway had been used by the Navy during the 1940’s and early 1950’s.

The paper reports that the new runway will be used for unmanned aerial vehicles. 

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Dover Air Force Base officials are helping to make the deployment of service men and women a little less stressful and scary for their children.

The base is hosting an event Wednesday that allows children a chance to participate and experience a mobility line, similar to what their parents go through as they prepare for assignments away from home.

The children, as well as teachers from the base schools, can experience what it's like to go through pre-deployment briefings and preparations, complete with dog tags, mock travel cards and physical forms.

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP) - Officials at Dover Air Force Base say chemical compounds used in firefighting foam have been found at four sites on base, but not in drinking water supply wells.

Officials said Monday that an investigation detected perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, in shallow groundwater and some surface drainage ditches in levels above Environmental Protection Agency recommended limits. They noted that the base obtains drinking water from a deep confined groundwater aquifer that is isolated from the aquifer where the contaminants were found.

The runways at Dover Air Force Base will be getting a $98 million makeover in the next two years.

The massive project will force military officials to relocate the base’s 18 C-5M cargo jets starting next summer.

Solid concrete, which can be as thick at 15 inches, will replace concrete and asphalt.

At the height of the project some 100 to 120 workers are expected to be involved.

New lights and navigation aids for the flyers are expected to be added to the shorter runway while an old underground fuel line that runs under the runway is set to be relocated.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - The body of a two-star general killed in an Afghan "insider attack" has arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

A C-17 cargo plane carrying the body of 55-year-old Maj. Gen. Harold Greene landed Thursday morning at Dover, home to the nation's largest military mortuary.

White-gloved soldiers solemnly carried a flag-draped metal case with Greene's remains to a waiting mortuary vehicle as Army officials and other dignitaries saluted.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Delaware Congressman John Carney has introduced a bill that would make it less expensive to modernize the fleet of C-130H cargo planes at Dover Air Force Base.

Carney, a Democrat, notes that the Delaware Air National Guard's flying mission could end in 2020 unless the planes are upgraded and modernized. That's when the current fleet will be inoperable because of federal and international safety regulations.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Dover Air Force Base officials are warning nearby residents that a civil engineer squadron will be conducting training for demolition of explosives.

Officials say the an explosive ordnance disposal flight team is scheduled to conduct demolitions training Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

As a result of the training, officials say some residents may hear more noise than usual coming from the base's training range. Residents may also notice possible ground shaking.

Base officials say the noise may travel farther during overcast weather conditions.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - State officials are signing a memorandum of understanding that will join the Dover Air Force Library with Delaware's library system.

Gov. Jack Markell planned to be on hand Monday for the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Delaware Division of Libraries and Delaware Library Catalog Consortium.

Dover base vice commander Col. Kevin Gordon also was to join local officials and State Librarian Dr. Annie Norman for the event.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Officials at Dover Air Force base say nearby residents may hear more noise than usual during demolitions training.

The 436th Civil Engineer Squadron's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight will conduct the training Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Officials say residents may hear noise and may experience ground shaking. Noise from the range can travel farther if the weather is overcast.

Dover Air Force Base could lose as many as four C-5 cargo jets along with needed service personnel under structural changes proposed by the Air Force.  

In addition, the Air Force would cancel the plan to bring an active-duty C-130 squadron to the New Castle National Guard base next year.

The Wilmington News Journal reports that could indicate that the Air Force is not planning to upgrade the Guard’s eight aging C-130 cargo aircraft which have become obsolete.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - The Air Force is warning neighbors of Dover Air Force Base that members of the explosive ordinance disposal flight are scheduled to conduct demolition training.

The Wilmington News Journal reports that training is set to take place at the base on Friday afternoon.

Area residents may hear more noise than usual from the training range and may experience the ground shaking. Officials say noise from the range may travel farther than usual because of the overcast weather.

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel traveled to Dover Air Force Base for the arrival of the remains of four U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

Joining Hagel on the trip from Washington on Wednesday were Army Secretary John McHugh and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno.

The remains of every U.S. military member killed overseas are flown to Dover for processing. Family members often attend the arrivals, but high-ranking Pentagon officials usually do not.

Families of the fallen are now being forced to pay their own way or find unofficial help from generous donors to make the trip to Dover Air Force Base to meet their loved ones who have died in the service of their country.

In addition, they are not being paid the $100-thousand tax-free lump sum meant to help pay for the sudden loss of income, funeral expenses and other unexpected needs.

All of this comes as the result of the government shutdown.

Most of the 869 federal civilians who were furloughed by the military in Delaware last week are coming back to work.

All of the 500 furloughed workers at Dover Air Force base are back on duty.

And, the Delaware National Guard says there’s another 340 employees around the state who were being notified that they should return to work.

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP) - Two beams from the World Trade Center's north tower will soon be part of a 9/11 memorial at Dover Air Force Base.

Officials broke ground Thursday for the memorial at the Air Mobility Command Museum. The steel beams will form a V-shape pointed toward New York City on a compass base that will also point toward crash sites at the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa. A stone from Shanksville will be incorporated into the memorial.