Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers on Monday in expressing concern about the Army’s proposal to cut the combat aviation assets and force structure of the Army National Guard.
Blunt, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, was joined by 12 senators in voicing concern about the proposed reductions in Department of Defense funding.
The senators urged Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to meet with members of the Army and National Guard to find a solution that would allow budget cuts to be absorbed in a way that doesn’t jeopardize security and preparedness.
“We strongly recommend that you work with the Army and the National Guard on a solution that fully takes into account national security needs as well as state domestic response obligations,” the senators said. “We are confident that a resolution can be reached. We believe the National Guard can be part of a cost-effective security solution that retains affordable security for peacetime as well as the ability to respond to unforeseen future contingencies.”
The National Guard previously outlined a plan to absorb budget cuts in other areas so the current aviation force structure could remain intact.
“This shortsighted approach creates unnecessary risk to our national security at the expense of incredibly capable attack aviation assets in the Army National Guard,” the senators said.