Serious Concerns Regarding Downgrade of Force Structure Prompts Congressional Action

South Carolina Republican Congressman Joe Wilson, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, has announced that “serious concerns have been brought to light regarding proposed changes to Army force structure, especially the proposed Army Aviation restructuring plan.”

In order to attempt to head off a major national defense shortcoming, Wilson and a group of 16 bipartisan co-sponsors have introduced H. R. 3930, the National Commission on the Structure of the Army Act of 2014. The commission would recommend necessary force structures to meet future military force structure needs of the nation.

The Obama Administration’s proposed aviation restructuring plan “would have a significantly negative impact on Army National Guard aviation and the Total Army,” said Wilson.

“The National Guard is the primary combat reserve for the Army and should mirror the active duty force. However, this plan takes all of the AH-64 Apache helicopters and places them with active duty, leaving no strategic depth and reach back capability for support. It also takes over 100 of the LUH Lukota, a helicopter purchased specifically for the National Guard, and transferred it to be used as the Army’s new training helicopter. This is not what Congress intended,” Wilson stressed.

Congressman Wilson recalled that, “Over the last 12 years of combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Army and Congress have made significant investments in order to make the National Guard a truly operational reserve force that is interchangeable with the active duty Army. There were times during Operation Iraqi Freedom when the Army National Guard represented 50 percent of the Army’s combat power. We cannot stray away from the Total Force Policy that has served our country so well and allowed us to maintain an all-volunteer force.”

Wilson notes that the Administration’s wasteful and reckless plan would “significantly reduce personnel, many of whom are aviation personnel with years of experience as either pilots or in aircraft maintenance. Over 6,000 of these personnel, whom the Army has invested significant time and money, will be forced out of a job ans will be cut from the Army  National Guard as a result of this proposal. Such a restructuring cannot and should not be rushed. We must take our time and examine the issue to make sure that our Army and our Soldiers remain the best in the World.”

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