August 31, 2006
Chief of National Guard commits to new mission that will preserve jobs at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, and U.S. Representative Joe Schwarz today announced the National Guard has committed to a new Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) mission for the W.K. Kellogg Air National Guard Station in Battle Creek. The commitment, which will preserve hundreds of jobs, came in a letter from Lt. General H. Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau. (Letter attached.)
“This commitment highlights the value of our skilled workforce, the assets Michigan has to offer, and our proud tradition of supporting men and women in uniform who are defending our nation and securing our homeland,” said Granholm. “This new mission will help save jobs for up to 300 workers at the base and will provide new resources to the local economy.”
The decision comes after a year-long coordinated effort to preserve jobs that could be affected by upcoming changes approved by the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission. The commitment positions the base for even greater future investment by the Department of Defense.
Granholm noted the announcement would not be possible without the hard work and support of Senators Levin and Stabenow and Congressman Schwarz.
“The decision by Lieutenant General Blum to implement the governor’s plan to establish a Joint Cargo Aircraft mission for Battle Creek Air National Guard Base is a welcome and critical step in bringing a new mission to the Battle Creek base and maintaining the essential capabilities of this facility into the future,” said Senator Levin. “This intra-theater cargo aircraft, or JCA, is a new and growing mission, and stationing this aircraft at Battle Creek will position the Michigan Air National Guard to continue to play an integral role in carrying out missions for the governor and the Department of Defense.”
“The news today is a direct result of a persistent, coordinated effort by many different parties,” said Congressman Schwarz. “When the BRAC recommendation to close the base was announced, I promised to fight to overturn the decision and secure the future of the Air National Guard Base at Battle Creek for years to come. Today’s announcement fulfils that promise.”
“This is great news, not only for the people of Battle Creek, but for communities across Michigan,” said Senator Stabenow. “This commitment will protect jobs while providing the Air National Guard the resources they need to protect Michigan families and our country.”
The JCA mission is intended to provide a rapid-response, intra-theater mobility mission with cargo, equipment and soldiers. For example, in the event of a regional natural disaster, these aircraft will be able to quickly move personnel or equipment to the area in need and will also be able to land on short runways (i.e. runways as short as 2,000 feet). This mission will also provide airdrop capability.
In August 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission voted to keep the Battle Creek base open after an intense effort led by Governor Granholm, Michigan’s congressional delegation, and local community leaders. While that decision preserved hundreds of jobs at Battle Creek, the BRAC commission voted to move roughly 15 A-10 aircraft from Battle Creek Air National Guard Base to Selfridge Air National Guard Base sometime after 2009, jeopardizing up to 300 full-time positions at Battle Creek.
In March, Governor Granholm invited Lt. General Blum to visit Battle Creek and see for himself how Michigan’s position as a border state and proximity to all of the upper Midwest metropolitan areas, combined with Battle Creek’s infrastructure, make the base a prime candidate for this mission
In June, Lt. General Blum visited Battle Creek where the governor made the case for this mission to come to Michigan. The governor then instructed Major General Thomas G. Cutler, the adjutant general of the Michigan National Guard, to prepare a transition plan for the JCA mission to come to Michigan as the A-10 aircraft are transitioned to Selfridge.
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