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| Home Front: Politix |
| Guv want control of National Guard A-10's |
| 2005-10-03 |
| Page 13 DC Examiner .pdf Apparently a Republican governor... The governor of Connecticut, backed by the congressional delegation of that state, has filed suit in federal courts to block the Pentagonâs Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission from moving or closing down elements of the Air National Guard in that state. The governor cites her role as the head of the state National Guard as the foundation of her arguments. She asserts that as the commander, she must be consulted before any recommendation may be made. She also fiercely insists her state needs that unit. If this were an infantry unit, which might respond to an East Coast hurricane or riots in Hartford, I would understand completely. The same for an engineer unit, which can fight fires and build bridges, I would also understand. In fact, there are many sorts of units which are useful to a state in its hour of need. But in this case I believe that Gov. M. Jodi Rell of Connecticut is poorly advised by those surrounding her. Alternatively, and perhaps more distressingly, this may be a simple (if classic) example of a complete lack of understanding about the military among those who control it. The unit in question, you see, is not an infantry unit, nor military police or engineers or even Air Traffic Control. It is a fighter unit, the 103rd Fighter Wing. It is equipped with a magnificent aircraft, the A-10 âThunderbolt,â more commonly known as the âWarthog,â because it is one butt-ugly airframe. It is squat, stubby winged, with a titanium âbathtubâ to protect its single crewmember from ground fire. Why does ground fire matter? Well, because the A-10, a plane beloved by infantrymen across the United States, is designed with one purpose and one purpose only to kill enemy tanks. It cannot defend the United States or the airways of America by intercepting a rogue jet plane, nor can it carry supplies to a beleaguered area. Rather, it is designed to rain scunnion scunnion? Itâs not in my dictionary! from the sky upon tanks. That it also happens to be good at killing trucks, armored personnel carriers and enemy infantry is just a happy bonus. But ultimately the design purpose of this flying warthog, with its deadly tusks, is killing tanks. Surely Gov. Rell cannot be aware of this. S o m e b o d y must be concealing from her the fact that no governor in the entire history of the United States has ever used a squadron of ground attack jet fighters as the commander of the state National Guard. Nor, I imagine, would the governor plan to use these high-technology wonders herself, if only somebody would tell her what they are. To the best of my knowledge, Connecticut is not currently anticipating any armored thrusts coming from Rhode Island. No assault by infantry fighting vehicles down I-91 from Massachusetts is planned. Accordingly, I am at a loss as to how to explain Gov. Rellâs complaint that national security would be undercut by the repositioning of the 103rd Fighter Wing. |
| Posted by:Bobby |
| #14 Best discription I've heard for the Warthog is a plane built around a 30mm gatling gun. |
| Posted by: raptor 2005-10-03 22:22 |
| #13 Perhaps they meant sea onion - A small bulbous European plant (Scilla verna) having fragrant blue flowers. Or not ... |
| Posted by: DMFD 2005-10-03 20:44 |
| #12 How did this guy get elected? Was there a "must vote for a moron" rule in affect? I think we found Blanco's kindred spirit. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2005-10-03 18:15 |
| #11 IF she really really wants them, stick her with the bill for them. I know they're cheaper than F-15's, but they're still only $13 million EACH, plus maintenance, parts, fuel, ammo, bombs, missiles, and then there's the really expensive things that go in the FLIR pods and other EW stuff that costs some pretty pennies. I'm sure the USAF would LOVE to sell them to her. |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2005-10-03 18:07 |
| #10 Seems to be kind of an extreme way to take care of those pesky opposition voters to me..... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2005-10-03 16:26 |
| #9 it is one butt-ugly airframe I think its cool. Its a perfect example form following function. And it functions better than anyone expected (except maybe the design team). Obviously this reporter doesn't appreciate the beauty of a weapons platform. |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2005-10-03 16:26 |
| #8 The warthog - it ain't just what's coming for breakfast to an armored rifle regiment near you anymore. |
| Posted by: MunkarKat 2005-10-03 16:24 |
| #7 I'm curious - how does the ANG have A-10s? Are they expecting Canada or Mexico to someday mount an armored attack against us? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-10-03 16:02 |
| #6 Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress the authority ... To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; Seems straight forward to me. The Gov gets to appoint the officers and the authority to train. Of course why should a federal judge ever worry his poor head about something like the Constitution. Gets in the way of doing things the |
| Posted by: Greremble Whutch5864 2005-10-03 14:37 |
| #5 I want an A10 too! |
| Posted by: MunkarKat 2005-10-03 14:18 |
| #4 Hey, what the hell, the courts already run everything else. Why not the military? Give it a shot, right, Guv? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2005-10-03 13:34 |
| #3 "You want 'em, you pay for 'em. Otherwise, butt out." |
| Posted by: mojo 2005-10-03 13:33 |
| #2 I think these Governours have confused the National Guard with State Militia. Here in Tennessee we have a State Militia, controlled by the Governour, as well as the State National Guard. The National Guard units do not own the weapons or equipment, the Department of Defense does. In the State Militia, we own our weapons. (AR-15 for me as well as a 1903 Springfield). |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2005-10-03 13:30 |
| #1 I think it's time to get rid of the Air National Guard, and just fold the planes back into the Air Force, before Blanco gets any more bright ideas. |
| Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2005-10-03 13:20 |