At the invitation of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority and as part of a tour of defense-related companies in Licking County, U.S. Senator Mike DeWine toured The Base and got better acquainted with the people and work of the major tenants here. His tour included a stop at the AWACS construction area with Boeing and DCMA officials and a briefing on the AFPSL by Bionetics and AFMETCAL officials.

DeWine provided a brief interview with Base Radio before he departed, saying, "The future is bright here."

The invitation was part of the Port Authority's ongoing caucus-building strategy aimed at increasing knowledge among federal, state, and local officials about the value and impact of the COATC. This was DeWine's first official visit to the COATC.