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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 15, 2015 12:54 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator John N. Wozniak |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Resolution for the National Guard |
| Urging the Congress to take all necessary action to prohibit any force structure changes, to prohibit any transfer of AH-64 Apache helicopters from the National Guard, and maintain the Army National Guard at 350,200 Soldiers until the National Commission on the Future of the Army has reported its findings and urging the United States Army to reverse its decision to deactivate the 55th Armored Brigade Combat Team(ABCT), and to reverse its decision to transfer any National Guard AH-64 Apache helicopters to active duty. WHEREAS, The United States Army plans to transfer all National Guard AH-64 Apache helicopters to active duty as part of the United States Army’s Aviation Restructuring Initiative; and WHEREAS, The United States Army has marked Pennsylvania’s 55th ABCT for inactivation. The 55 ABCT is headquartered in Scranton, extends over the eastern portion of Pennsylvania and approximately 3,500 Pennsylvanians serve with the 55 ABCT. WHEREAS, Congress established the National Commission on the Future of the Army, which is tasked with completing an independent study on the proper size, force mixture and force generation requirements for the Army and this commission is required to report its findings on or around February 2016; and WHEREAS, This comprehensive assessment will provide Congressional members the opportunity to review and legislate in response to the Commission's recommendations; and WHEREAS, There are 24 AH-64 Apache helicopters authorized for the Pennsylvania Army National Guard (PAARNG) with a significant portion of the allotment stationed at the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport; and WHEREAS, Transferring the Apache helicopters would result in the loss of 350 part-time personnel from the 1-104th Attack Battalion and the stationing of PAARNG is an important economic driver in the Johnstown area with an estimated impact of nearly $45 million; and WHEREAS, The economic necessity and the maintenance of critical national defense units in the Johnstown area, including the 1-104th Attack Battalion PAARNG and its complement of Apache helicopters, dictates that the United States Army reverse its decision to redeploy the helicopters; WHEREAS, Units from the 55th ABCT have deployed multiple times since 9/11. The deployments have included Kosovo, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Units from the Brigade have earned multiple Navy Unit Commendations and Meritorious Unit Commendations; and WHEREAS, The Army’s current force proposals reduces the total Army National Guard end strength from 350,200 to 342,000 during FY16, and further, from 342,000 to 335,000 during FY17; and WHEREAS, Since 2000 the Army has cut the Army National Guard by 14 Brigade Combat Teams and increased the active Army by 12 Brigade Combat Teams. These cuts resulted in a shift from the majority of force structure residing with the Army National Guard to the majority of the force structure contained within the active Army; and WHEREAS, The geographical location of Pennsylvania in relation to the entire northeast corridor, places the Pennsylvania National Guard in a strategically accessible position that can effectively respond at the Federal and state level when needed for domestic emergencies or armed conflicts; and WHEREAS, The National Guard represents the best economic value for the United States. Department of Defense stated that a drilling Guardsman is about 15% the cost of an Active Component Soldier in 2013. Even when in Title 10 mobilized duty, a National Guard Soldier only costs 80 to 95% as much as an Active Component Soldier; and RESOLVED, (the House of Representatives concurring), That the General Assembly urges the United States Army to reverse its decision to deactivate the 55th Armored Brigade Combat Team, and to reverse its decision to transfer any National Guard AH-64 Apache helicopters to active duty; and be it further RESOLVED, That the General Assembly urges Congress to take all necessary action to prohibit any force structure changes, to prohibit any transfer of AH-64 Apache helicopters from the National Guard, and maintain the Army National Guard at 350,200 Soldiers until the National Commission on the Future of the Army has reported its findings to Congress in February 2016. |
Memo Updated: June 15, 2015 12:55 PM