Utah Sen. Bob Bennett said in a press conference Thursday that air logistics centers like Robins Air Force Base are now part of the “structure” of the U.S. Air Force and should remain a part of the American military for good.

Robins’ future looked bright to Bennett and a group of congressional leaders who toured the air maintenance depot and Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins Air Force Base Thursday.

Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that an atmosphere of competition that once existed between the three air logistics centers has been replaced by cooperation. Inhofe said that Robins should be able to secure continued C-17 work and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, a former candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 2000, said Robins should be able to compete for work on the F-22 as well.

“I hope most Americans recognize how vital these facilities are in our communities,” Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole said, pointing out that air logistics centers are economic engines for their communities.

Robins was the first stop on a tour set to include the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma and the Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.

Although Robins survived the most recent base realignment and closure (BRAC) process last year, the future looked grim for air logistics centers in 1995. Two air logistics centers in California and Texas were closed and consolidated in the process, and Bennett said he remembered a time when discussions over outsourcing threatened the three other air logistics centers. Bennett said workers at the centers were called “bureaucrats” by some at the time.

But he said Thursday that he was impressed and amazed by the speed and efficiency of work at Robins, and Inhofe commented on the base’s efforts to streamline depot maintenance. Hatch said he was impressed with the base’s software center, and said Robins offered “some of the greatest minds” in the military. The group, which arrived shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday and left around 7:30 p.m., toured the C-5 depot, discussing depot maintenance strategy; the C-17 maintenance line, discussing public and private partnerships; the 402nd Electronics Maintenance Group to discuss reverse engineering; and the 116th Air Control Wing Joint STARS facilities.

Thursday’s tour was hosted by Maj. Gen. Mike Collings, commander of the Warner Robins Air Logistic Center.

“The reason you are doing so much C-5 work is that you have competed,” Inhofe said. “You have competed for it very successfully and I would anticipate you will be competing for C-17 work, and the future looks very good.”