Blanche helping to fight defense "phase outs"

Washington – After learning of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s recommendation to phase out 15 F-16 fighter jets from an Air National Guard Fighter Wing in Fort Smith, both of Arkansas U.S. Senators and the U.S. Congressman representing the region vowed today to band together to fight such a measure.

U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, along with Third District U.S. Representative John Boozman reacted to Secretary Rumsfeld’s recommendations to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission, issued in a comprehensive report earlier today. The report which was last issued in 1995 includes the Defense Department’s recommendations to close or realign U.S. military facilities. The report targeted F-16s at military installations across the country including those based at Fort Smith’s 188th Air National Guard Fighter Wing.

All three lawmakers cautioned that today’s BRAC report contains recommendations only, which are still subject to approval by the BRAC Commission, President Bush and Congress before becoming law.

Specifically, the report recommends that seven of the 188th’s F-16 aircraft be relocated to the 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno, California, and that eight of the 188th’s F-16s be retired. The 188th Air National Guard Fighter Wing currently houses 17 F-16s in Fort Smith. In addition to the reduction in aircraft in Fort Smith, BRAC proposes that the firefighting unit for the 188th be relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma and that the 188th’s home station training site be relocated to Savannah, Georgia. The 188th provides 280 jobs and could lose 78 under today’s BRAC realignment recommendation.

“We’re not going to accept these recommendations without a fight, because this fighter wing means too much to our nation’s defense and to the community of Fort Smith,” Senator Blanche Lincoln said. “We’ve secured millions of dollars over the years to improve and modernize the facilities for the 188th in Fort Smith, and through leadership at the base and strong community involvement it’s become an ideal location to house F-16s and has great potential for future needs of the Air Force. I remain committed to protecting the long-term sustainability of the 188th as the BRAC process moves forward. The men and women of the 188th do an incredible job on behalf of our national defense and I look forward to