Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) recently secured provisions in the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act that provide important resources to the Fort Campbell community in Tennessee.
Blackburn included a provision to restore the funding for the Army and Air Force flying hours program, to keep training and flight hours at their historically appropriate levels for military aviators. Blackburn also included language requiring the Secretary of Defense to evaluate the Troops to Teachers program in order to find ways to improve its effectiveness.
“As a result of sequestration and the raiding of military readiness accounts, the military has suffered a series of devastating cuts that compromise their safety, readiness and ability to meet the ever present threats to our national security,” Blackburn said. “It is immoral to ask our military servicemen and women to suit up and ship out without the proper resources, training and funds they need.”
Blackburn worked with the House Armed Services Committee after the military proposed a massive reduction in the Army and Air Force flying hours program. Her efforts ensured the reductions would not occur.
“It only takes a few weeks for our nation’s pilots and crewmembers to lose currency, putting their lives and our nation’s security at risk,” Blackburn said. “We need to make sure resources are available to keep their training up to date.”