Panel votes to close Air Guard unit in St. Louis

WASHINGTON -- Missouri suffered another blow to its military sites Friday after the federal base-closing commission approved Pentagon plans to close the Air National Guard's 131st Fighter Wing at Lambert Field in St. Louis.

Within minutes of the unanimous vote, Gov. Matt Blunt vowed to file a lawsuit over the move, as governors in three other states have done.

The decision by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission came on the third day of scheduled votes that have been a daily dose of bad news for the state. A day earlier, the commission approved cuts to three military offices in St. Louis and Kansas City that would cost the state more than 2,000 jobs.

With Friday's vote, 19 fighter jets from the 131st Fighter Wing would be relocated to bases in Nevada and Montana, and the unit would lose about 250 full-time equivalent positions.

About 1,100 people total currently work for the 131st. The plane-related jobs of about 500 people would be lost if the plan moves forward, with about 600 expected to remain on site, said spokeswoman Lt. Bridget Zorn.

She said many of those are guardsmen who make a part-time commitment, which she thinks BRAC might have been adding together to come up with its figure of roughly 250 jobs lost.

"This action is unacceptable, and I have asked the Attorney General to file a lawsuit against the Secretary of Defense and BRAC Commission," Blunt said in a written statement. "It has become clear since the list was published that the Air Force abused the BRAC process by discriminating against Air National Guard Units."

Blunt's reaction was bolstered by a federal judge's ruling earlier Friday that the Pentagon lacks authority to close a Pennsylvania Air National Guard unit without the governor's consent. Illinois and Tennessee have also filed similar lawsuits.

Despite a furious lobbying campaign by the state and its congressional delegation since May -- when the Pentagon first announced its plans -- the commission declined to change any cuts planned for Missouri.

The plan to shake up dozens of Air Guard units around the country had emerged as the most contentious part of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's proposal to close, shrink or expand hundreds of military bases and other installations nationwide.

Missouri officials have condemned the plan to close the 131st Fighter Wing, saying it leaves the region without critical air defense.

Commissioners have until Sept. 8 to submit their list to President Bush, who can send it back for revisions. Bush must either approve or disapprove the list by Sept. 23 and submit it to Congress by Nov. 7. Congress then must either accept or reject the list in its entirety.

"Missouri made a compelling case and I am convinced that decisions to close these facilities are not in our military, or nation's, best interest," said Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo. "Unfortunately, not even my most serious concerns with the process -- the recommendations' impact on our nation's homeland security -- were heard."

Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo., said he is now likely to vote against the full BRAC proposal when it is presented to Congress.

"I am very disappointed in the commission's decision, not only in their failure to take these installations off the list, but because in their decisions they failed even to address the arguments Missouri made on a bipartisan basis," Talent said. "The St. Louis region, especially the men and women whose jobs are on the line, deserved better."

In other action Friday, the commission unanimously approved the Pentagon plan to send nine A-10 fighter aircraft to the 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base near Sedalia, Mo., for a net gain of 61 personnel. And it voted to move an Army training school to Fort Leonard Wood from Fort Belvoir in Virginia.

Col. Greg Champagne, the 131st Fighter Wing's vice wing commander, said the Guard would work to reassign people if the plan moves forward, and that some trained in specific fields might look into joining the National Guard in other states, though that would be an individual decision.

Even after a final decision, "we have a two-year period to work through this in this state," Champagne said.

Zorn said the decision to close the unit would be difficult for personnel and their families faced with the prospect of moving or being out of work.

"Our people are deeply rooted in St. Louis," Zorn said. "A majority of our folks are from the St. Louis area. They're here so they can be home with their families."

Some of the unit's planes are slated to move to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, an active duty unit. But Zorn said many part-time members of the 131st would not be eligible to relocate there.

"It's too early in the process to know what would happen to people," she said.

Other aircraft originally were to move to the Atlantic City International Airport Guard Station in New Jersey, but the commission rejected that plan. The rest will now go to the Air National Guard unit in Great Falls, Mont.

The Pentagon's plan calls for shifting people, equipment and aircraft among at least 54 sites where Air Guard units now are stationed. Roughly two dozen sites would expand, while about 30 were to be closed or downsized.

Defense officials have said the Air Guard proposal would not hinder the country's security. The Air Force says units without planes would receive new nonflying missions and would retain their roles in supporting the needs of governors during statewide emergencies.

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On the Net:

Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission: http://www.brac.gov