2011 Budget Proposal Includes Air Force Plane Grab
NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES, INC.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ONE MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20001 (202) 789-0031
Contact: John Goheen at (202) 408-5882
2011 Budget Proposal
Includes Air Force Plane Grab
WASHINGTON (Feb. 2, 2010) - Air Force officials have found a new source of inventory to replace their aging aircraft: the more experienced, less expensive and often more heavily tasked Air National Guard.
The plan, which is included in the president's 2011 budget proposal (please see attached budget document), would shift 12 C-130 Hercules cargo planes from Air Guard bases nationwide to replace older active-component models at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
The same scheme would also eliminate the only flying unit in the Puerto Rico Air Guard. In all, 21 Air Guard C-130s would be affected.
"This continues the slow but steady grounding of the Air National Guard," said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, NGAUS chairman of the board. "At a time when we should be leveraging cost-effectiveness, the Air Force wants to gut its component with, by far, the lowest operating costs.
"We're cutting muscle when we should be cutting fat-excess personnel and infrastructure not involved in today's missions," he said. "This is bad for America and, ultimately, will be bad for the U.S. Air Force."
Air Force officials said the plan is based on the findings of the Mobility Capability Requirements Study; however, this most recent look at the U.S. military's airlift needs is yet not complete.
In addition, Air Guard leaders in the states and the nation's governors were never consulted or advised of the scheme's significant provisions.
The plan continues an effort that began when Air Force leaders used the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process to cut the Air Guard instead of-as BRAC was intended-to divest excess infrastructure.
"The Air Guard is the last place to look to save money," Bunting said. "Most of our bases are on state or municipal airport property. We have minimal infrastructure and overhead. We have a mostly part-time force. We also have some of the most experienced air crews and maintainers in the Air Force.
"When you cut the Air Guard you're not cutting costs," he said, "you're cutting capability."
# # #
About NGAUS: The association includes nearly 45,000 current or former Guard officers. It was created in 1878 to provide unified National Guard representation in Washington. In their first productive meeting after Reconstruction, militia officers from the North and South formed the association with the goal of obtaining better equipment and training by petitioning Congress for more resources. Today, 132 years later, NGAUS has the same mission.
Internet Availability: This document and other Guard and NGAUS news and information are available at www.ngaus.org.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ONE MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, NW, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20001 (202) 789-0031
Contact: John Goheen at (202) 408-5882
2011 Budget Proposal
Includes Air Force Plane Grab
WASHINGTON (Feb. 2, 2010) - Air Force officials have found a new source of inventory to replace their aging aircraft: the more experienced, less expensive and often more heavily tasked Air National Guard.
The plan, which is included in the president's 2011 budget proposal (please see attached budget document), would shift 12 C-130 Hercules cargo planes from Air Guard bases nationwide to replace older active-component models at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
The same scheme would also eliminate the only flying unit in the Puerto Rico Air Guard. In all, 21 Air Guard C-130s would be affected.
"This continues the slow but steady grounding of the Air National Guard," said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, NGAUS chairman of the board. "At a time when we should be leveraging cost-effectiveness, the Air Force wants to gut its component with, by far, the lowest operating costs.
"We're cutting muscle when we should be cutting fat-excess personnel and infrastructure not involved in today's missions," he said. "This is bad for America and, ultimately, will be bad for the U.S. Air Force."
Air Force officials said the plan is based on the findings of the Mobility Capability Requirements Study; however, this most recent look at the U.S. military's airlift needs is yet not complete.
In addition, Air Guard leaders in the states and the nation's governors were never consulted or advised of the scheme's significant provisions.
The plan continues an effort that began when Air Force leaders used the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process to cut the Air Guard instead of-as BRAC was intended-to divest excess infrastructure.
"The Air Guard is the last place to look to save money," Bunting said. "Most of our bases are on state or municipal airport property. We have minimal infrastructure and overhead. We have a mostly part-time force. We also have some of the most experienced air crews and maintainers in the Air Force.
"When you cut the Air Guard you're not cutting costs," he said, "you're cutting capability."
# # #
About NGAUS: The association includes nearly 45,000 current or former Guard officers. It was created in 1878 to provide unified National Guard representation in Washington. In their first productive meeting after Reconstruction, militia officers from the North and South formed the association with the goal of obtaining better equipment and training by petitioning Congress for more resources. Today, 132 years later, NGAUS has the same mission.
Internet Availability: This document and other Guard and NGAUS news and information are available at www.ngaus.org.
posted by ngamn.blog at
6:24 AM
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