Harrison Township

Selfridge to lose some, win some in dramatic changes

By Julie Snyder
C & G Staff Writer

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — Selfridge Air National Guard Base will lose its A-10 fighter planes as part of varied changes at many bases announced by the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 3.

The 127th wing at the Harrison Township base, however, will get four more KC-135 refueling aircraft, boosting its role in a key area.

All 50 states will be affected by the changes to reflect a shift in resources toward the Asia-Pacific Rim from other regions, as well as U.S. fiscal constraints, Air Force officials said.

Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said while the Air Force plan would mean changes at Michigan military bases, it also would mean that Michigan National Guard airmen will continue to play a vital and enduring rule in national security, and the planned changes are far less dramatic than uninformed rumors had suggested.

He said news that Battle Creek Air National Guard Base and Selfridge Air National Guard Base will retain vital flying missions is critically important.

“Addition of an unmanned aerial vehicle control unit would put Battle Creek at the cutting edge of unmanned aerial vehicle operations, a critically important and fast-growing part of our defense strategy,” said Levin, a Democrat. “While Selfridge’s 127th Wing would lose its A-10 aircraft, it would gain additional KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft, strengthening its role in that key combat support mission.”

The adjustments, which will go before Congress as part of the fiscal 2013 federal budget, are expected to generate $8.7 billion in savings next year.

The Air Force did not disclose last week how the changes would affect staffing levels, although it expects reductions nationwide.

“We do not expect to learn details of how these plans would affect personnel levels until later this spring,” said Levin in a press release. “I will continue to be in close contact with Air Force officials to ensure that our bases retain the critical personnel they need to conduct these important missions.”

The planned changes also involve replacing Battle Creek Air National Guard’s planned C-27J cargo aircraft mission with a Remote Split Operations unit flying Air Force MQ-1 and MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicles. According to Air Force officials, pilots at a ground station in Battle Creek would pilot these aircraft as they flew combat reconnaissance and strike missions. RSOs in the United States are now responsible for flying such missions in combat theaters such as Afghanistan.

U.S. Representative Candice Miller, D-Shelby Township, said in a prepared
statement that she is pleased that the Air Force plans to add four KC-135 refueling aircraft at Selfridge, but she remains “very concerned” about the impact that the loss of the 24 A-10 ground attack aircraft currently based at Selfridge ANGB will have on the base.

“A net loss of 20 aircraft at the base will certainly mean a loss of jobs and will diminish the overall scope of the mission of the Michigan Air National Guard,” said Miller. “After the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment round, the Air Force spent a great deal of money moving the A-10 mission to Selfridge ANGB, and the members of 107th squadron have performed incredibly well in support of American ground forces on battlefields in both Iraq and most recently in Afghanistan.

“My concern also extends to if there is just one mission at Selfridge ANGB, then that will make the base more vulnerable if the Pentagon is successful in achieving the expected two upcoming BRAC rounds in 2013 and 2015,” the congresswoman continued. “I am interested in hearing more from the Air Force to justify these decisions. I look forward to working in a bipartisan way with the entire Michigan delegation to support the men and women of Michigan’s Air National Guard and continuing to advocate going forward to strengthen the mission at Selfridge ANGB, so it can continue to be a critical component of our national defense. ”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Julie Snyder at jsnyder@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1039.