Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray is scheduling tours of military installations statewide.
A C-5 on the flightline at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee.Reacting to questions about the president’s budget proposal on the military, state and congressional leaders Monday reiterated their intention to work together to prevent cutbacks in Massachusetts.
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, said Monday that a proposed reduction in aircraft at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee is just that – a proposal – and one that makes little sense given recent federal investments in improvements at the base.
“If you drive through that base today, it’s been totally transformed,” he said. “I want to make the administration aware of that.”
Neal and Sens. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., and Scott P. Brown, R-Mass., on Friday sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley expressing concern over the reduction in aircraft at Westover and seeking additional information on defense plans for Massachusetts military units and installations.
A spokesperson for Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray said Monday “proactive planning” will position the state to “protect our military bases.”
Murray earlier this month launched efforts to secure support from business and local elected officials in that protection effort during a tour of the Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Regional Airport. The lieutenant governor plans to schedule tours at other installations across the state, especially Westover, but none have yet been scheduled.
Tim Murray“The Patrick-Murray Administration will work tirelessly with our federal partners to keep Massachusetts military bases open and their missions intact,” Murray said Monday. He reiterated his position that a strong military presence and related defense industry are critical components of the state’s economy.
The Air Force has already announced plans to cut the number of C-5 jet cargo transports assigned to Westover Air Reserve Base’s 439th Airlift Wing in half, from 16 to 8, by 2016 because of efforts to trim $259 billion in defense spending over the next five years. It has also targeted the 103rd Airlift Wing, a Connecticut Air National Guard unit in East Granby for reductions by abandoning plans to assign C-27 transport jets later this year. The plan is to replace those 4 aircraft with MC-12s, the Air Force special mission intelligence and surveillance aircraft.
The federal budget indicates two potential rounds of military base closures during the next five years. The first is due in fiscal 2013, the second in 2015.
Defense reductions are aimed at reducing the size of the armed forces by about 100,000 combined from Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. that would include cutting as many as eight Army Brigade Combat Teams; six Marine Corps battalions and seven Air Force tactical air squadrons. The Navy could lose seven ships to retirement of older cruisers.
Kerry late Monday commented on the president’s budget in general saying “this is a balanced blue print to grow our economy, make some tough deficit reduction choices and end the tax breaks for the wealthiest that never created jobs. This plan maintains critical investments in research and development, education and clean energy.
“Tough decisions lie ahead,” said Kerry. He pointed to some areas of the budget that represent “notable local impacts” affecting Massachusetts.
Those are $3.02 billion for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program that serves more than 200,000 households in the Baystate; $2 bill for Drinking Water State Revolving fund; $350 million for Community Service Block Grants; $2.2 billion to build Littoral Combat Ships that includes a contract for General Dynamics in Pittsfield; and $247 Million increased funding for FA-18 fighter jets that includes a contract to General Electric in Lynn.