188th letter-writing campaign pushed

A full court press is on among regional leaders to “Save the Flying Razorbacks” and retain the A-10 mission now operational with the 188th Fighter Wing based in Fort Smith.

An Air Force “re-missioning” plan released Feb. 3 calls for the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith to lose its 20 A-10 aircraft, with the unit to convert to operating the unmanned Predator aircraft.

Moving the A-10’s out of Fort Smith is expected in fiscal year 2013. The unit employs about 350 full-time personnel, with about 1,000 on the base once a month for training. The annual economic impact of the 188th is $150 million.

An overall defense budget is scheduled to be released Feb. 13.

Brig. Gen. Travis Balch, chief of staff for the Arkansas Air National Guard, held a press conference at the 188th base on Feb. 3 during when he said the planned change in mission could have a long-term benefit for the 188th and Fort Smith.

But community leaders were not excited about the unmanned mission of which Balch said “is something to be excited about.”

Fort Smith City Director Kevin Settle and Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce President Paul Harvel are just two of several in the area actively encouraging area citizens to send a letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.

“While the steering committee is grateful to be considered for a future mission, and while the unmanned platform does offer the opportunity for long-term stability, we have a number of concerns with the plan in its current configuration,” noted a letter from Harvel sent to chamber members. “As previously mentioned your Chamber has underwritten the cost of the website since this is a huge economic development issue.”

Settle has used his Facebook page to promote the letter-writing campaign.

A “Save the Flying Razorbacks” website provides a step-by-step process on how to write and send the letter. The website also includes a section providing “the facts” needed to include in a letter to Panetta.

The electronic letters will be packaged and delivered to the Arkansas Congressional delegation.

“You can be Passionate, but please also be Positive, and Professional. Needless to say, all letters should be of a professional nature and stay positive – when they get our message, they have do the right thing!!!” notes one of the instructions on the website.

Harvel said in his letter to chamber members that the goal is to collect at least 1,000 letters.

“Until we have further information regarding the economic impact of the loss of the A-10s versus the possible new mission we request that you continue a strong letter-writing campaign. It is the steering committee’s objective that we get 1000 letters by the end of next week to package and present to the Secretary of Defense,” Harvel wrote.

David Olive said it is unclear how effective a letter-writing campaign will be given the “nature of the politics” involved in the discussions. Olive, the founder of Catalyst Partners, a Washington D.C.-based government relations and public affairs firm, deals frequently with national defense industry people and policies.

“I don’t know,” Olive said when asked about the impact of 1,000 letters. “This is a game at this point. It’s a game being played out by a lot of big elephants stomping around.”

Olive, who also served as the first chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Asa Hutchinson, R-Fort Smith, said the letter-writing campaign might work if it is part of a bigger plan to put pressure on the decision makers. He also said writing letters won’t hurt the cause.

“I think you also have to look at this from the other end of the telescope. Does it hurt anything to send 1,000 letters to the Secretary of Defense? If the answer is ‘No,’ Then you say, ‘Why not,’” Olive explained.