188th support briefing date set

Favorable financial figures that are part of a “focused plan” protect and enhance the future of the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith were released Monday (Dec. 12) by the 188th Fighter Wing-Fort Chaffee Community Council.

The council also announced Dec. 20 as the meeting date for a “delegation of congressional representatives and numerous decision-makers” to meet at the 188th base in Fort Smith. The meeting will allow the council and military leaders to more fully make a case as to the value of the 188th to the national defense. Organizers are not sure the media will be allowed to attend the briefing.

It was first announced Nov. 22 that the 188th Fighter Wing based at the Fort Smith Regional Airport may be one of the many military cuts possibly to result from Congressional failure to reach a deficit-cutting agreement. The unit employs about 350 full-time personnel, with about 1,000 on the base once a month for training.

The budget threat comes four years after the 188th converted from the F-16 fighter jet to the A-10 ground support aircraft. Conversion to the A-10 was the product of a last minute reversal of a decision to close the 188th. During May 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission was faced with 834 closings or realignment recommendations from the Department of Defense.

After that close call, the 188th Fighter Wing-Fort Chaffee Community Council was formed to support the military presence in the region and to be proactive against future threats.

Council Chairman Dr. Jerry Stewart said during a Dec. 2 Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce meeting that a “focused plan” was being prepped to counter a potential threat to the 188th.

Stewart and council members held a briefing Monday to share their progress. Following are some of the points the council issued in making its case that the 188th is the “Best Value for America.”
• It takes 2 minutes to reach the range when they take off from the base, the closest of all fighter units.

• The 188th trains each of its fighter pilots for almost $325,000 less per year than the average fighter wing in the Air National Guard.

• The cost of each hour of range training at the 188th Fighter Wing is almost $5,000 less than the average fighter unit.

• The 188th Fighter Wing’s annual cost of flight hours is $12.8 million less than its counterparts average hours.

• More than 25% of 188th training missions involve Special Tactics Squadrons (U. S. Air Force), Army Special Forces (Green Berets), or Navy Special Warfare (SEALS) and special forces operators prefer training in Fort Smith because face-to-face debriefs with pilots occur minutes – not days – following a training exercise.

• Among all Air National Guard fighter units, Fort Smith provides the lowest utility costs – at 95 cents per square foot.

“The 188th Fighter Wing — within the category of all Air National Guard units — is particularly situated to provide excellent value because of its airspace, its proximity to Fort Chaffee, and the frequency with which it trains with other branches of the military — particularly Special Forces and specialized operators,” noted a statement from the council. “The military refers to units that have the capability of cross-training, a ‘joint forces multiplier.’ This practice has been encouraged during the past 10 to 12 years and has served our nation well as we fight the war against terror.”

Continuing, the council noted: “We believe that in a head-to-head comparison — where high-impact, cost-efficient programs thrive within federal budget constraints — the 188th Fighter Wing will earn a continuing role in our nation’s defense.”