September 22, 2011
Military.com|The Air Force 4-star who reportedly told a Congressional committee that the White House attempted to alter his testimony on the potential threat of a system of new 4G broadcast towers was "saluted" Wednesday by the Air Force Chief of Staff.
Gen. Will Shelton, commander of Air Force Space Command, testified to Congress recently on the military's official concerns that 40,000 broadcast towers proposed for construction by LightSquared could wreak havoc with the existing GPS receivers.
Recent media reports allege that LightSquared benefitted from close contacts within the White House to create a nationwide broadband internet network and that administration officials pressured Shelton to downplay the network's potential impact on disrupting military operations.
During a forum of senior officers at the Air Force Association conference in Washington on Wednesday, the moderator complimented Shelton for giving his "unvarnished" testimony before Congress.
The applause of hundreds of Airmen and others broke out, interrupted only when Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz interrupted to make a comment of his own.
Schwartz acknowledged Shelton's candid testimony in the face of the purported White House pressure.
"Will Shelton, I salute your courage."
The White House has reportedly said it offered only guidance to Shelton. Meanwhile, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee has launched an investigation into contacts between administration officials and LightSquared, according to the website NextGov.com.
The committee's chairman Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, and the six other Republican lawmakers allege the administration sought to muzzle and soften the testimony Shelton and other experts on how the planned multibillion-dollar network could interfere with GPS receivers, according to the report.
Gen. Will Shelton, commander of Air Force Space Command, testified to Congress recently on the military's official concerns that 40,000 broadcast towers proposed for construction by LightSquared could wreak havoc with the existing GPS receivers.
Recent media reports allege that LightSquared benefitted from close contacts within the White House to create a nationwide broadband internet network and that administration officials pressured Shelton to downplay the network's potential impact on disrupting military operations.
During a forum of senior officers at the Air Force Association conference in Washington on Wednesday, the moderator complimented Shelton for giving his "unvarnished" testimony before Congress.
The applause of hundreds of Airmen and others broke out, interrupted only when Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz interrupted to make a comment of his own.
Schwartz acknowledged Shelton's candid testimony in the face of the purported White House pressure.
"Will Shelton, I salute your courage."
The White House has reportedly said it offered only guidance to Shelton. Meanwhile, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee has launched an investigation into contacts between administration officials and LightSquared, according to the website NextGov.com.
The committee's chairman Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, and the six other Republican lawmakers allege the administration sought to muzzle and soften the testimony Shelton and other experts on how the planned multibillion-dollar network could interfere with GPS receivers, according to the report.
