NEWS: Wisconsin Air National Guard affected by Air Force structure realignment plan
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NEWS: Wisconsin Air National Guard affected by Air Force structure realignment plan
Date: February 3, 2012
Wisconsin is among 31 states and territories to be affected by the Air Force's proposed force structure realignment plan, part of a plan to cut $487 billion from the defense budget over the next 10 years.
The impact to the Wisconsin Air National Guard, if approved by Congress, would be the reduction by two of the Milwaukee-based 128th Air Refueling Wing's fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers, and the Madison-based 115th Fighter Wing will retire its RC-26. The impact on manpower is unclear.
"We will continue to work with the National Guard Bureau and analyze these changes," said Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin. "Our focus will remain on accomplishing our mission safely and effectively."
While the Air Force is scheduled to announce manpower changes caused by these structure changes in the next few weeks, Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, Air National Guard director, said that programs are already being set up to retain as many Airmen as possible.
"[The Air Force Chief of Staff] has said that the Air Force is going to get smaller, and all of the components - Active, Guard and Reserve - are going to get smaller. It's now becoming a reality," Wyatt said.
"The Air National Guard has been here before," he added. "We need to continue to work with our active duty and Reserve counterparts to ensure we have the best Air Force possible. America's security depends upon us getting this force mix correct."
"It is unfortunate that the Air Force didn't announce the proposed reductions in aircraft and personnel at the same time to minimize concerns on potentially affected Airmen," Dunbar said.
"But it is our intent to handle any cuts through normal attrition to lessen the impact on our Guardsmen and their families," he said.
To view the Force Structure overview for all of the Air Force's planned changes, go to: www.af.mil.
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