SENATOR COLLINS DISCUSSES 101ST AIR REFUELING WING JOBS AND BUDGET WITH AIR FORCE UNDERSECRETARY

During a phone call with Senator Susan Collins, the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Erin Conaton, agreed to the Senator's request to take a closer look at the Air Force's needs in light of proposed budget cuts that could cause some of the 145 Air National Guard members stationed at the 101st Air Refueling Wing in Bangor to lose their jobs as soon as next month.

Senator Collins, who is a member of both the Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees, released this statement following the call:

"During my conversation with Under Secretary Conaton, I urged the Under Secretary to analyze closely the refueling needs of the Air Force and the extraordinary cost-effectiveness of operations performed by the Maine Air National Guard at this base, which will have performed 38 high priority missions just between Wednesday and Friday of this week and which has refueled more than 1100 transient aircraft during the past fiscal year. There is no air refueling unit - active duty or guard - that has a better record of productivity than our National Guard base in Bangor.

"I also reiterated my concern that these Air National Guard members, many of whom have been under active duty orders for several years, have been given less than a month's notice that these orders may be discontinued. This is simply unfair and not the way we should be treating those who have served.

"It is encouraging that Under Secretary Conaton has agreed to my request to take a closer look at this situation, and the Air Mobility Command has agreed to perform an assessment of the military's refueling requirements over the next two weeks. Additionally, the Under Secretary committed to ensuring that Air Force officials are fully aware of the value of the Maine base's strategic location and the 101st Air Refueling Wing's efficient performance of its vital missions. I also invited the Under Secretary to visit the base and view the important work performed here first-hand.

"This funding shortfall also underscores the uncertainty the military is facing right now because of Congress' inaction on any of this year's spending bills, including the Defense Appropriations bill. Congress should never have adjourned prior to completing its work on the defense funding bill, one of the reasons that I voted against adjournment. I will work with my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to secure funding to help ensure that the Air Force's needs are met."