BUDGET AX MAY FALL ON GUARD

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Twenty-one National Guard units in Missouri, including ones in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, would be eliminated under U.S. Defense Department plans to cut spending.

The affected units include the 1140th engineer headquarters company at Cape Girardeau, and the 1140th engineers Company A in Jackson.

Major General Charles M. Kiefner, adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard, has notified state legislators whose districts would be affected by the closings.

Kiefner said the proposed cuts would affect about 20 percent of the Army National Guard's total strength in Missouri. Currently, there are about 10,000 people serving in 95 different locations in the state.

The closings are to be phased in over the next three years and would be completed by 1993. "If either Congress or the Army doesn't change their present views, that's the way it will happen," the general observed.

"This is something way beyond my control and I just feel an obligation to do my best to help see these units are saved."

Kiefner said it is up to the political process to save the units.

Eighth District Congressman Bill Emerson and U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond, who is co-chairman of the Senate's National Guard Caucus, have pledged to fight the closing plans.

In a recent letter to state legislators, Kiefner observed: "This is extremely disturbing to me as it not only will reduce our ability to participate in the Total Force policy as we are doing in the present buildup, but it will also dramatically affect our ability to perform emergency duty in those areas affected.

"I feel the Congress will make the final decision on this matter and I solicit your support in asking the Congress to either retain the present structure or ensure that other type units will be available for activation in these communities."

The 1140th in Cape Girardeau has 183 members and 11 full-time federal employees. In the 1990 fiscal year, the unit had a total economic impact of over $1.5 million. The Jackson unit has 72 members, two full-time federal employees and an annual economic impact of just over $600,000.

In Missouri, the total cutbacks would affect 2,344 members of the Guard and 159 full-time federal employees. Officials have estimated the economic loss to Missouri communities would be more than $20 million.

Under the plan, the 135th engineer group command would remain in Cape Girardeau, but Kiefner noted that "as far as having the capabilities to respond in a natural disaster, they don't have equipment or much manpower. The 1140th has both."

Lloyd Smith, chief of staff to Eighth District Congressman Bill Emerson, whose district has nine of the units proposed for closing, said the cutbacks are part of Defense Secretary Dick Cheney's plans to reduce military spending and forces.

"We started working on this matter last October when we began getting hints that there was serious thought about this," said Smith.

On Oct. 12, Emerson wrote a letter to Stephen M. Duncan, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, to express his "strongest opposition" to the planned closings.

In that letter, Emerson cited the Guard's role as a standby force for the Desert Shield Operation. In addition, he said, Guard troops can provide valuable assistance in times of natural disasters, such as earthquakes.

In a new letter to Duncan that will be sent today, Emerson said he fears the cutbacks will hurt the effectiveness of the Guard in Missouri. Emerson again stressed the importance of the Guard for disaster response and the role the Guard played in the Persian Gulf crisis.

"I understand full well that a look at our force structure is necessary, but I further realize that for a minimum of cost the National Guard has proven its ability to remain a viable force in the defense of this country," Emerson wrote.

Rep. Ollie Amick, D-Scott City, who was advised of plans to close the 49-member unit in Charleston, said he had contacted Emerson and Bond to urge their support in keeping that armory open, as well as others in Southeast Missouri.

Amick said that closing units in Southeast Missouri would be a serious mistake.

Sen. John Dennis, D-Benton, who has five units in his district on the closing list, said a group of mayors called the matter to his attention last week. Dennis said he was very concerned about the impact that the closings would have on the area economy, as well as on the ability to have a group in place to respond to disasters.

"I don't know how serious they are about closing (the units), but I intend to find out," promised Dennis.

Other units in Southeast Missouri scheduled for closing and the number of Guardsmen they have are: Sikeston, 68; Farmington, 111; Fredericktown, 48; Perryville, 73; and Portageville, 55. All are detachments of the 1140th.

The Jackson Board of Aldermen passed a resolution this week opposing the closing of the Guard units. It will be sent to the state's congressional delegation and State Reps. Mary Kasten of Cape Girardeau and David Schwab of Jackson.

Smith said he believes the Defense Department plans to close the units by the end of 1993 and stressed that "it's going to be a battle" to keep the units operating.

"We have to approach it as being a serious possibility and work to change the military's mind," said Smith. "At this point, we don't have any written indications or verbal indications they will follow through on this. This is a proposal we think is not good for our particular congressional district and we think we can make a pretty good case. We'll be trying to do that."

Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce President Robert Hendrix said the chamber would do what it could to keep the Cape unit in operation.

"We are getting geared up to contact our congressional delegation and ask them to put a stop up to it," said Hendrix.

"The National Guard not only has a lot of jobs here, but it is also very valuable in times of natural disasters."

Hendrix said he can understand the Army's desire to study consolidation of Guard units or armories. "But, I can't look forward with any glee to Cape Girardeau being consolidated somewhere else," he declared. "I'd like to see somewhere else consolidated here."

Cape County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep said Thursday he had not heard of the plans, but pledged to work with other officials to fight the cuts.

"I just assumed they were looking at cutting back on big bases," said Huckstep. "I don't see the logic behind cutting the Guard and reserves. After Desert Storm, you would think they would have a high priority."

Bond, in a news release late Thursday, declared: "The Pentagon's plan to cut the National Guard significantly is short-sighted and just plain wrong-headed. Our recent experience in the Persian Gulf has made it crystal clear that we need these units. To cut the Guard would be dangerous to national security and to Missourians who depend on this help in time of national disaster."

Bond said the Guard is a very cost-effective force.

Kiefner, a native of Perryville whose original unit is the 1140th, said if the closings are carried out, he and his staff will have to sit down and decide what to do.

"We would attempt to have some kind of a Guard presence in all these communities, but we would have to spread other units around to fill the void," said Kiefner.

Guard members might be reassigned if units were available elsewhere, but that might result in some having to drive a long way to attend drills, he noted.

"Missouri has always been a good state in strength, and a leader in the country in overseas deployment training," said Kiefner.

"We have a number of people in the gulf right now doing a heck of a job." he added. "I think the Guard (troops) have more than proved they are capable of performing their federal mission."

Other units on the closure list in Missouri include three in St. Louis, and one each at Whiteman, Warrensburg, Fulton, Houston, Boonville, Salem, Jefferson City, Kansas City, Moberly and Macon.