Counter plan calls for F-16 return to 188th

A return of the F-16 fighter jet to the 188th in Fort Smith is a new possibility that has emerged in the ever-changing landscape of Air Force cuts and mission changes.

The U.S. Air Force released a plan Wednesday (Mar. 7) that provides more detail on significant personnel and equipment changes, but Lt. Col. Keith Moore, a public affairs officer with the Arkansas National Guard, says that plan could see “dramatic changes.”

One of those dramatic changes could could be the F-16 fighter jet returning to the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith. The fast-moving fighter was replaced with the slower ground-support A-10 jet following the 2005 BRAC process.

A “council of Governors” with the National Governors Association will present a counter proposal to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, said Matt DeCample, spokesman for Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe (D). DeCample said the NGA proposal makes the cuts “more proportional” between the Active duty and Air Guard and creates greater savings than the Air Force plan.

DeCample said the NGA plan would remove the A-10 mission from the 188th and return the F-16.

“Gov. Beebe is completely behind that proposal,” DeCample said.

The NGA first announced Tuesday (Mar. 6) its opposition to the Air Force plan.

“The Guard has always been an efficient, less costly force to achieve these multiple missions,” noted part of the NGA statement. “Governors remain strongly opposed to the disproportionate personnel and equipment cuts and urge the Air Force to work with them to find alternative solutions to maximize capabilities at the lowest possible cost.”

Air Force officials have said the cuts are balanced between Active, Guard and Reserve units.

"Working with our Guard and Reserve leaders, we used a balanced approach to adjust our Total Force end strength while maintaining the ability to execute strategic guidance," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said in a statement. "Our Total Force programmed reductions follow detailed assessments of future conflict scenarios and rotational requirements consistent with the new strategic guidance."

AIR FORCE, 188TH CUTS
Overall, the Air Force proposed reductions of 3,900 active-duty, 5,100 Air National Guard and 900 Air Force Reserve positions.

Broad cuts in U.S. defense spending include the removal of the 20 A-10 Thunderbolt fighter plans from the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith. The loss of the fighter mission is scheduled to be replaced with the unmanned Predator drone. The drones and intelligence specialists needed to analyze drone-driven data would not be based in Fort Smith.

Community officials and former 188th officials were concerned the lack of planes would result in deep job losses. The 188th now has about 1,000 personnel attached to the unit, with a little more than 300 in a full-time status. Initial estimates were that the full-time numbers could fall to around 55 with the new mission.

However, the Air Force changes 188th authorized personnel from 972 in fiscal year 2011 to 802 in fiscal year 2013 — far fewer job cuts than previously estimated by local officials.

But if all the planes are gone, how does the 188th use 802 members?

That’s a good question, according to Moore, the public affairs officer for the Arkansas National Guard.

Air Force info provides the following details on the loss of A-10 missions at four units:
• Retires 21 A‐10’s from Barksdale AFB (Louisiana), with a loss of 581 Reserve jobs;
• Retires 21 A-10‘s from Selfridge ANGB (Michigan), with a loss of 808 National Guard jobs;
• Retires 20 A-10‘s from Fort Smith, ANGB (Arkansas), with the loss of 682 National Guard jobs; and,
• Retires 20 A-10‘s from Fort Wayne, ANGB (Indiana), with the loss of 670 National Guard jobs.

NUMBER QUESTIONS
With the loss of 682 Guard jobs in Fort Smith, the force level should be closer to 420 than 802. But Moore says the Predator mission will bring jobs to the 188th, and other units may be moved to Fort Smith.

Details on the number of Predator jobs (an aircraft technically known as the MQ-1/9) coming to Fort Smith is unknown. The only info the Air Force provides is this note: “Resources MQ‐1/9 RSO units (957 ANG billets; Fort Smith AGS, AR; Des Moines AGS, IA; Kellogg AGS (Battle Creek), MI; and JRB Willow Grove, PA).”

Moore said if dividing by the four locations, it could mean about 240 Predator jobs would be required in Fort Smith. But that division is just a guess, Moore noted.

Also, a Red Horse (engineering unit) mission and 17 National Guard jobs are scheduled to move to Fort Smith under the Air Force plan.

But with the Predator and Red Horse jobs, there are about 425 jobs somewhat unaccounted for in the Air Force plan.

Moore admitted there is much uncertainty with the numbers. He said more definitive numbers and job shifts could be released prior to May. Moore also said Guard officials in the state hope to get additional info before 300-plus members of the 188th deploy in early July to Afghanistan. Without that info, 188th members could be in Afghanistan when major changes are made, and would not be able to make timely and/or appropriate decisions about their military career.

Moore also said people should remember “that this is just a proposed plan,” and “dramatic changes” could happen following input from Congress, the National Governor’s Association and other groups who have opposed all or parts of the Air Force plan.