AMARILLO, TEXAS -- It's all about being a good neighbor, that was the motivation behind Cannon Air Force Base's public meetings in Clovis and Portales on Wednesday. Representatives from the 27th Special Operations Wing answered questions and presented information in regards to late night training exercises.

"Without information the imagination starts to wonder, so the whole point is to answer any questions they may have, alleviate any concerns they may have as far as safety and also the comfort of Clovis itself, that's the whole point of opening a dialogue, essentially trying to be a good neighbor," said Capt. Michael Murphy of the United States Air Force.

The training involves the very large AC 130H Spectre gunship, which will be flying at relatively low altitudes during night time hours. The aircraft will typically circle the community testing sensors, giving the crew real life scenario conditions to work in.

The meetings are designed to help answer questions and try to help residents understand why they are hearing the aircraft at night. Citizens in attendance were glad to be informed.

"As a citizen it was very important because this mission is totally different than the mission that was here before with Cannon Air Force Base, so it's good to know why they are flying low, what planes they are flying, why they're having to fly at night, and the training that they're going through," said Connie Harrison a resident of Clovis.

Base representatives say the training missions could take place over any community within a one hundred mile radius of the base, so communities like Friona, Tucumcari, and Santa Rosa are included as well as Lubbock and even Amarillo. The base will be conducting several meetings in the coming weeks to address their training exercises.

The following are the dates, times and locations for all meetings July 6 - 10:

Texas Communities

 July 7, 2009 Sudan - Sudan High School Auditorium, 107 West FM 303, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. CST (Surrounding communities including Muleshoe and Littlefield, Texas, are invited to attend)

 July 9, 2009 Friona - Friendship House, 1410 N. Washington, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. CST (Surrounding communities including Bovina and Hereford, Texas, are invited to attend)

New Mexico Communities

 July 6, 2009 Santa Rosa - Santa Rosa City Hall, 244 S. 4th St., 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. MST

 July 8, 2009 Tucumcari - Liberty Room of the Convention Center, 1500 W. Tucumcari Blvd., 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. MST

 July 10, 2009 Melrose - Melrose Senior Center, 427 Main St., 11 a.m. to noon

For more information on these meetings call the Cannon Public Affairs office between 7 am and 4:30 pm at (575)784-4131.