The Air Force announced in March plans to cut 153 civilian and 180 military positions in Massachusetts.
Col. Kerry L. Kohler, left, commander of the 439th Maintenance Group, Air Force Reserve Command, Westover Air Reserve Base, leads a tour of a maintenance facility on the base for a group in March including Lt. Gov. Timothy Murphy, center, Richard K. Sullivan Jr. secretary of the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, behind Murray, and U.S. Rep. James McGovern, riight, D-Worcester.CHICOPEE – State officials welcome efforts by the U.S. House Armed Services Committee that block potential Defense Department budget cuts, including C-5 cargo jets at Westover Air Reserve Base.
Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray, who launched efforts last year to preserve the state’s military installations and manpower, said Thursday action by the House Armed Services Committee “is an important first step towards preventing disproportionate cuts to Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve including Westover Air Reserve Base.”
Murray last year created the Massachusetts Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force, a group of state and local officials including business and industry representatives, in response to the DOD’s plans to trim $500 billion in spending over the new 10 years.
Strategy of the task force is promote the national security and economic impacts of state military units in efforts to prevent or reduce reductions in personnel, equipment and missions by the Defense Department.
The Air Force announced in March plans to cut 153 civilian and 180 military positions in Massachusetts as early as Oct. 1.
At Westover, eight of its 16 C-5 transports, being upgraded to C-5M category, are already slated for transfer to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas in 2016.
But, the House Armed Services Committee Thursday created guidelines and restrictions to proposed Air Force and Army aircraft retirements and transfers that could prevent that.
Westover public affairs officer Lt. Col. James G. Bishop said Thursday regardless of the outcome Westover will continue in its transport missions globally.
The House Armed Services Committee, which includes Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, D-Mass., is proposing the Air Force and Army be prevented from aircraft inventory changes during fiscal year 2013. That will also prohibit and retirement or transfer of Air Force or Army aircraft in President Barack Obama’s federal budget proposals. The proposals are in the form of amendments to the president’s budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
The amendments were co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Duncan Hunter, R-California and David Loebsack, D-Iowa.
Also, the committee wants $709.6 million in additional funding for personnel and operations by the Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Army National guard. The committee also called for a $377 million reduction in procurement funding for a variety of air-launched munitions but keep all munitions funded at the FY13 budget levels.
If the committee succeeds in full approval of the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, DOD will be required to file reports by March 1, 2013 that outline economic analysis, alternative options and effect of various planned transfers and retirements and that the General Accounting Office provide, within 90 days, its analysis and review of transfers and retirements.
Murray said “We thank our congressional delegation, particularly Congresswoman Niki Tsongas who serves on that committee, for their continued partnership as we work together to promote and protect all Massachusetts military bases.”
Tsongas said the National Defense Authorization Act, passed Thursday morning, “restored critical funding for the air National Guard and reserve, which faced disproportionately high cuts when compared to the active duty component particularly in Massachusetts. as a member of the House National Guard and Reserve Caucus, I will continue to support these vital forces who have sacrificed so much over this past decade in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Also praising the House Armed Services Committee actions was retired National Guard Maj. Gen. Gus L. Hargett Jr., president of the National Guard Association of the United States.
“This pause would preserve Air guard capabilities to accomplish its many missions while the Department of Defense and the nation’s governors develop a process that better accounts for domestic missions in future defense budgets,” Hargett said.
The Air Force has also proposed cutting two military and one civilian position at the Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Regional Airport.
In addition to the C-5 transfers at Westover, the Air Force proposed eliminating four reservists and 13 civilians at the 439th Airlift Wing.