Video: CAFB Keeps Chin Up Following Poor Base Review

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — Columbus Air Force Base says it is focused on community support and good use of taxpayer dollars rather than a bad rating from a publication.

This week, Air Force Times, which has no connection to the actual military, ranked the base the second-worst in the nation.

A small commissary, medical facility and base exchange, the city’s high jobless rate and a low housing allowance were all major factors in the poor review. But base leaders note that among other things, the formula used wrong personnel numbers and didn’t look at all schools or regional employment.

They say with shopping, a top notch medical facility and other amenities within minutes of the base, expensive on-base facilities don’t make sense.

But the review is a reminder everyone always can get better.

“We’re just kind of looking at it from a research standpoint to see what (we can) take away from this,” First Lt. and CAFB Public Affairs Officer Joshua Benedetti said. “What are the concerns raised in it? And how can we grow and get better from this to better serve our airmen here at Columbus Air Force Base?”

Three years ago, Columbus won the altus Award as the best base in the Air Force.