Tyndall families told have patience

Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., families were safely evacuated before Hurricane Michael hit; and the service will have to find other accommodations for them until repairs can be made, Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told reporters. He had no idea on a timeline for restoration of base operations or repairs for the demolished housing. Some of the Tyndall families relocated to Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Miss. Tyndall is the main base for training on the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor, and serves as a center for training on battle management. Fifty of Tyndall F-22s were flown out in advance of the hurricane to Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio, and Texas Fort Worth Alliance airport, according to 325th Fighter Wing commander, Col. Brian Laidlaw. The 3,600 airmen and family members stationed at the base won't be allowed to return until their safety can be ensured, he said. "I know that you (Tyndall families) are eager to return. I ask you to be patient and try to focus on taking care of your families and each other. We can rebuild our base, but we can't rebuild any of you," Laidlaw wrote. (Source: Military.com 10/12/18)