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Future of Youngstown Air Reserve Station discussed
VIENNA
A federal delegation of Ohio politicians joined local business, civic and military leaders Thursday to discuss the future of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.
The visit was part of the Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission’s annual defense update. The EOMAC was launched by the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber as a way to promote the benefits of a military presence on the regional economy.
U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th; U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th; and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Cincinnati; addressed the crowd, praising the work of the airmen on the base and offering their support in fighting for the base’s continued existence.
“Establishing security at this air base is important,” Ryan said.
He described bipartisan concern for the longevity of the air base and thanked his Republican counterparts for their work to secure the YARS.
Portman said the continued well-being of the base is a nonpartisan issue and said upgrading existing hardware and equipment at the base would be important safeguards against an eventual shutdown of the YARS.
“The YARS and the 910th are very important to the Valley. We need to keep this base here, and we’re going to fight to make sure our base gets updated equipment, like the C-130 J’s.”
Currently, older C-130 H aircraft are used by the 910th Airlift Wing.
Col. Dan Sarachene said the 910th’s fleet of 16 C-130’s was cut in half in 2014, but their workload has remained largely the same.
The 910th has airmen in Afghanistan training Afghan Air Force members how to fly C-130s and is also the Department of Defense’s only aerial spray unit.
Following Hurricane Katrina, the 910th was deployed to spray chemicals to fight mosquitoes drawn to the standing water that accumulated following the flooding.
The unit may be called on to spray again in flood-ravaged Houston, though no deployment is currently scheduled.