Pa. delegates seek aircraft transfer delay

Willow Grove Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania (Satellite photo via Google Earth)

By Lou Sessinger
Bucks County Courier Times

March 11, 2009 01:10 AM

Members of Congress want the Air Force to reconsider the future of the 111th Fighter Wing.

Pennsylvania's members of Congress have asked the Pentagon to delay the planned transfer of the Air National Guard's aircraft from the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Horsham.

In a letter Monday to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the state's congressional delegation, including Sens. Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, urged him to delay the distribution of the wing's 17 A-10s beginning as early as April and continuing into next year.

The lawmakers are asking for the delay to give the Air Force time to reconsider the future of the unit.

The Base Realignment and Closure Commission voted in 2005 to close the air station, but Pennsylvania plans to convert Willow Grove into a joint base for homeland security and emergency preparedness.

The letter tells Gates, "We strongly believe that taking the A-10s from the 111th Fighter Wing is premature and ill-advised."

The BRAC Commission didn't require any particular timetable for the redistribution, the letter points out. The commission also directed that the Air Force should "maintain the end strength" of the 111th, "but the loss of the unit's flying mission will result in loss of up to 80 full-time jobs and 140 military positions. Finally, the pending action completely overlooks the BRAC Commission's finding that strongly encouraged the Air Force to keep A-10s at the 111th Fighter Wing."

Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, who spearheaded the initiative to request the delay, said on Tuesday that she was hopeful the request to Gates would produce the desired results.

"I don't know how Secretary Gates will receive it, but I hope he will take it seriously that the state's entire delegation signed it."

She hopes the Air Force will take the time to reassess its position on stripping the 111th of its aircraft and understand that keeping the wing with its planes at Willow Grove would be important to the base's future role as a center for homeland security and emergency preparedness.

The letter calls the removal of the A-10 a "serious mistake" and that the decision to do so was based on an assumption that the air base wouldn't be in operation after the Navy leaves in 2011.

But legislation adopted since then provided that it become a joint interagency installation under state jurisdiction that will include an operational airfield.

"It makes no sense to strip this unit of its aircraft and reduce its capabilities at a time when our nation and commonwealth need them most. We are asking that you issue an order delaying the start of the movement of A-10s from the 111th Fighter Wing. This action will give the Air Force the opportunity to reassess the capabilities of the Horsham Joint Interagency Installation and to consider alternative future flying missions for this unit."

Mike McGee, Horsham manager and administrator of the Horsham Land Reuse Authority, said that his organization still has a concern that, if the airfield remains open, that it be used for its stated purpose of providing for homeland security and emergency preparedness, "and certainly the Air National Guard fits that definition."

"But there are two sides of me," McGee said. "We did fight to save the base, but if the federal government is going to keep a runway open for 17 aircraft, I'll be interested to see how the Department of Defense spends my tax money."

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Courier Times (March 11, 2009 01:10 AM)
The Intelligencer (March 11, 2009 01:40 AM)


Already on March 10th, 2009, the "Examiner" published the following Associated Press (AP) news:

Lawmakers urge delay of Pa. base's A-10 aircraft

Mar 10, 2009 4:35 PM

WASHINGTON - Pennsylvania members of Congress are asking the Pentagon to delay the planned transfer of National Guard aircraft from the Willow Grove military base in suburban Philadelphia.

All of the state's House members joined senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey in signing a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday. They urged him to delay the distribution of a total of 17 A-10 aircraft from the 111th Fighter Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.

The lawmakers are asking for the delay to give the Air Force time to reconsider the future of the unit.

The Base Realignment and Closure Commission voted in 2005 to close the air station, but the state wants to convert Willow Grove into a joint base for homeland security and emergency preparedness.

Source


KYW Newsradio 1060 reported:

Push Continues to Save Willow Grove Naval Air Station

by KYW's Pat Loeb
Posted: Tuesday, 10 March 2009 10:13PM



Pennsylvania's entire congressional delegation is asking the Pentagon to keep National Guard planes at Willow Grove Naval Air Station. It's part of a strategy to keep the base operating:

All of the state's house members and both senators signed a letter to Defense secretary Robert Gates, asking him not to transfer the A-10 aircraft out of Willow Grove.

The lawmakers want to delay the distribution of the 17 planes at the base, in hopes that the Pentagon will reconsider closing the base.

Congressman Patrick Murphy says the base is actually a model for military efficiency:

"At a time when our military needs to act in a joint capacity, that means marines, army, navy, air force, all working together, the naval air base there is exactly a testament of what we need and it will actually save money in the long run."

Murphy supports making Willow Grove a joint base for homeland security and military preparedness.

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