National Guard group protests Air Force cuts

“The Air Force’s definition of ‘balanced’ cuts tilts heavily
against the nation’s most experienced and cost-effective flying units,” said retired
Maj. Gen. Gus L. Hargett Jr., NGAUS president. “This not only squanders the
opportunity to leverage the Air Guard to retain combat capability at a time
when reductions must be made, it reduces the Air Force’s ability to quickly
respond to unforeseen contingencies in the future.”

{mosads}The Air Force is reducing its forces by nearly 10,000 in the new budget, which includes 3,900 active-duty, 5,100 Guard and 900 reserves, Air
Force Secretary Michael Donley said Friday.

“We’ve carefully balanced our active and reserve component
changes,” Donley said. “We’re fully committed to our total force capability.”

The Guard association, however, said the move “squanders the
opportunity to leverage the Air Guard to retain combat capability” and “reduces
the Air Force’s ability to quickly respond to unforeseen contingencies in the
future.”

Donley said the cuts will affect nearly every state, and
acknowledged there are “significant reductions” to the Guard and Reserve.

“We can’t do what we do without our Guard and Reserve and
active components all working together,” he said. “So we will get smaller
together, but as we get smaller we will get more integrated together.”