Obama Urges New Fighter Mission for Illinois Units
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Printable FormatAssociated Press
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sens. Barack Obama and Dick Durbin are pushing for a new flying mission for the Air Force's fighter wing in Springfield to ensure that it remains in the capital of their home state.
"The expertise and capabilities of the 183rd Fighter Wing and its firefighter unit in Springfield are critical to the security of Illinois and the nation," Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, said Tuesday.
Obama and Durbin wrote a letter to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, Lt. Gen. Steven Blum, urging him to discuss the mission issue with Air Force officials.
The current Air National Guard mission at Springfield's Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport involves F-16 aircraft and a firefighting unit of more than 20 personnel. They are scheduled to begin a gradual redeployment to Indiana within weeks and be completely gone within 13 months.
The decision to close down the Springfield operations was part of recommendations the national Base Realignment and Closure Commission made in 2005, over the objections of the Illinois congressional delegation, including then-Rep. Dennis Hastert, the Illinois Republican who was speaker of the House.
Durbin has brought up the need for a new flying mission with Acting Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, the recently confirmed Air Force chief of staff. He met with Guard officials, including Blum, in April.
A federal judge in June dismissed Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's lawsuit that tried to keep the Pentagon from relocating 15 Guard jets to Fort Wayne, Ind., from Springfield.