Sixty US reps oppose Ft. Wayne base changes

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) -- U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman is counting on dozens of congressional allies from both political parties to boost efforts to keep combat jets at Fort Wayne's Air National Guard base.

The northeastern Indiana Republican sent a letter Friday with 60 congressional signatures pushing an alternative to President Barack Obama's Air Force budget that would replace the A-10 Warthogs stationed at the 122nd Fighter Wing with nine to 11 MC-12W turboprop planes used for surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance missions.

The letter to Rep. Howard McKeon, R-Calif., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, calls for a spending plan that "more fully employs the proven capabilities of the Air National Guard."

The signers of the letter include Indiana Reps. Mike Pence, Dan Burton, Todd Young and Larry Bucshon -- all Republicans -- and Democrat Joe Donnelly, The Journal Gazette reported Saturday ( http://bit.ly/ILKFga ).

In February, the Air Force announced a plan to shave $50 billion in costs by retiring 286 aircraft and cutting personnel by 9,900, largely from Air National Guard bases.

The plan is expected to eliminate 152 jobs at the Fort Wayne base, including 85 full-time personnel, as the fighter wing would no longer maintain weapons and munitions. More than 1,200 people work at the base, including 364 full-time airmen.

In his letter, Stutzman said the Air National Guard provides 35 percent of the Air Force's capabilities for 6 percent of its budget.

"We believe that a cost-effective and strategic FY13 Air Force budget should more fully employ the proven capabilities of the (Air National Guard)," he wrote.

------
Information from: The Journal Gazette, http://www.journalgazette.net