White House can’t ignore bipartisan YARS support

Last December, Ohio’s two U.S. senators and the Mahoning Valley’s three U.S. House members signed a letter that put in context the future of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

The letter to Lt. Gen. James Jackson, chief of the Air Force Reserve, urged the replacement of the current fleet of C-130H aircraft at YARS with the new C-130Js.

Signing it were U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat, and Rob Portman, a Cincinnati Republican; and Reps. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th; Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th; and David Joyce of Russell, R-14th.

Why is the replacement of the aircraft at the Vienna Township base important? Because in the next several years, the C-130Hs operated by the 910th Airlift Wing must meet new Federal Aviation Administration and international airspace regulations.

There are two options:

The first is to upgrade the critical flight navigation and communication components of the C-130Hs, which may be cost-effective but does not ensure the viability of the YARS.

The second, which has the unwavering support of the Valley’s congressional delegation and Ohio’s two senators, is to bring in the new C-130Js.

That aircraft is a comprehensive modernization of the H series and is being used by Air Force’s Active Component.

With the clock ticking on the FAA and international airspace regulations, the sense of urgency reflected in the letter to Lt. Gen. Jackson is certainly appropriate.

Indeed, Congress has weighed in with an amendment to this year’s Department of Defense’s budget that requires the Air Force to report how it will prioritize C-130 upgrades.

Given that the 910th is the DOD’s only large-area, fixed-wing aerial spray unit, the case easily can be made that the YARS is essential to the nation’s defense strategy and is one of the most cost- effective military facilities in the country.

In the Senate, the amendment offered by Portman and Brown delivers a clear message to the administration of President Barack Obama that there is bipartisan support for the Vienna air base.

“Upgrades for the new C-130 aircraft will ensure that special-mission units like the 910th at YARS have the unique capabilities needed to carry out their critically important national and homeland security millions,” Portman said.

For his part, Brown paid homage to the 1,500 military and civilian personnel at the base.

“The dedicated men and women at YARS provide unique capabilities to important missions that keep us safe and provide humanitarian aid,” Brown said. “YARS deserves our full support, and I’m glad the Senate-passed bill included this important amendment.”

SUPPORT IN HOUSE

In the House, Congressman Ryan, a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, had a hand in crafting the Defense Appropriations Bill that includes provisions for the Valley base.

Brown also inserted language into the report accompanying the spending bill that seeks to provide the new C-130Js for Air Force Reserve Specialized Missions.

The 910th is one of three specialized missions in the Air Force.

Ryan’s language directs the chief of the Air Force Reserve to prioritize units with the oldest equipment when deciding which specialty missions to upgrade.

The White House would be hard pressed to ignore the bipartisan support for one of the main economic drivers in the Mahoning Valley. The base has a $100 million impact on the region’s commerce.

The federal government has invested hundreds of millions of dollars since the base first opened to upgrade its facilities and to ensure that it fully accomplishes its mission. The facility has consistently received high marks for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

At a time when the Pentagon is under pressure to reduce spending, the performance of each military installation must come into play.

Replacing the aging C-130H aircraft at YARS with the new C-130Js not only makes economic sense but will enable the 910th to fully undertake its mission.

The decision rests with the Defense Department, in particular, and President Obama, in general. The president knows well, from his visits to the Mahoning Valley, the critical role the Youngstown Air Reserve Station plays in the nation’s defense strategy and the Valley’s economic well-being.

Obama cannot ignore the bipartisan support that exists for upgrading the fleet of military aircraft.