Fayetteville Observer - Rep. Renee Ellmers lobbies for Fort Bragg's 440th Airlift Wing

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By Drew Brooks

The House Armed Services Committee opened its floor to the entire legislative body Tuesday, and Rep. Renee Ellmers used the opportunity to once again lobby for Fort Bragg's 440th Airlift Wing.

The committee's annual "Member Day" invites representatives from across the nation to bring issues to the group's attention with a chance to influence the annual defense policy bill.

Ellmers is one of several North Carolina legislators involved in efforts to prevent the unit's deactivation.

The fight is well known to the committee, according to its chairman, Rep. Mac Thornberry, who said the group would continue to work with Ellmers to help save the one-star Air Force Reserve unit that flies the only Air Force planes permanently stationed at Fort Bragg.

Ellmers reiterated her displeasure with the Air Force's decision to shutter the unit, which at one point had nearly 1,400 airmen and hundreds of civilian employees.

"This ill-conceived proposal comes at a time when our nation is facing growing uncertainty abroad that could require a military response that only forces at Fort Bragg can provide," she said.

Since plans to close the unit were first announced last year, the 440th Airlift Wing has been slowly shrinking, limiting its operations.

Officials also have opened a clearing house to help remaining airmen find new positions elsewhere in the Air Force Reserve.

But Ellmers called the decision "shortsighted" and said Army leaders at Fort Bragg expressed concern that the deactivation would affect training and readiness of airborne forces.

Ellmers said the 440th Airlift Wing is the only C-130H model wing being shuttered and that makes little sense given that Fort Bragg is home to the Army's airborne and special operations forces.

"To say that I have serious reservations and concerns regarding this decision is a severe understatement," she said.

At least one member of the committee seemed to share her concerns.
Rep. Rich Nugent, a Florida Republican, questioned the ability of the Air Force to use outside planes for training on Fort Bragg.

Nugent, whose son served at Fort Bragg for six years, said the Air Force already has trouble providing the necessary airlifts for Fort Bragg soldiers. He said some paratroopers waited two days for planes to Haiti after the earthquake there in 2010, when a brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division deployed to support humanitarian efforts.

With no planes permanently based at Fort Bragg's Pope Field, Nugent said he expects those waits to worsen.

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