Congressmen hear 188th wing justified
1,000 fill Fort Smith hall for air guard unit
Posted: August 22, 2012 at 4:48 a.m.
STAFF PHOTO JASON IVESTER Rep. Randy Forbes (second from left) responds to a question during the Defend our Defenders Listening Session on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, inside the Fort Smith Performing Arts Center. The session was held to discuss the importance of the 188th Fighter Wing and seek public input on possible budget cuts to the defense.
With strains of “Yankee Doodle” warming up the crowd, most of Arkansas’ congressional delegation, Gov. Mike Beebe and about 1,000 Fort Smitharea political leaders and residents gathered Tuesday night at the Fort Smith Convention Center to argue for preserving their hometown Air National Guard unit, Arkansas’ 188th Fighter Wing. Their enthusiastic and sometimes tearful endorsements were directed toward Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., chairman of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, who brought his “Defending our Defenders” tour to Fort Smith.
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Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 08/22/2012
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it is time to cut that and move on to the drones guys! and you all know it!. if boozeman and womack want to cut the heart out of the middle class (medicare and SS) then by golly you can cut some of these outdate bases that are just government jobs paid by those same folks who will get the cuts INSTEAD because they do not have these congressmen advocating for them. why are out congressmen only representing a special interest group? i will never take the republicans seriously about balancing a budget if they don't cut something in the military.
Posted by: ladyLiberty
August 22, 2012 at 8:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Xloon,
You have no idea what you are talking about. The A-10s are vital and most definately not outdated when it comes to close air support and combat search and rescue, especially with the new C model upgrade. Scrapping all those jobs would not do anything good for the middle class either.
-Tank
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 22, 2012 at 9:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tank,
I stand corrected. i am not an expert in air force fighter craft. i was assuming they are eventually being replaced or moved to another base and that the men will only be retrained on different planes. , "Air Force leaders plan to phase out the A-10 and allow the F-35 Lightning II " Standard weekly.
my political opinion was to reflect that the Republican party cuts are NOT serious as then they would find cuts all over the board, not just in the middle class where we do not have the lobbist and obviously any congressmen to protect and advocate for our best interests.
(except Pryor)
We all want a fiscal sound budget Democrats, republicans, independents....but i want to point out that the R party is only using this argument to be obstructionalists to Obama's efforts to fix the economy. If he wants to cut here, they stand in the way. If this is the wrong place to cut, then they should propose an alternative place in the military as we all know there is much waste somewhere.
maybe Rebekeh Kennedy will actually care about NW Arkansas and be able to break the entrenchment hold? 3rd district.
Posted by: ladyLiberty
August 22, 2012 at 11:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
XLoon has a point. Womack has spent a lot more time worrying about the 188th than about the thousands who have lost their jobs in manufacturing in Fort Smith the last few years.
And when it appeared that the postal service was going to shut down the processing center in the state's second largest city and send it to Fayetteville, he basically told the Fort Smith employees to deal with it. Despite the fact that the facility in Fort Smith has room to expand, cheaper utilities, and a staff that has won awards for efficiency, all things the Fayetteville center does not have. I kept wondering who was getting a pay off for sending it to Fayetteville.
Posted by: inquire
August 22, 2012 at 9:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RE " I kept wondering who was getting a pay off for sending it to Fayetteville."
Here's a hint: Fayetteville is closer to Bentonville, home of Walmart. Mr. Womack works for Walmart. It's also closer to Springdale, home of Tyson Foods-- another of his employers. It's closer to a lot of his employers.
Now, who might get a payoff for doing his job?
Posted by: AlphaCat
August 22, 2012 at 9:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Please take your politics some where else. Sounds like a bunch of cry babies. I am part of the 188th fighting for your right to do and say. If it wasn't for folks like us, the Taliban type would be here and you would not be able to say anything without the fear. SUPPORT YOUR FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN. They are putting their lives on the line for YOU.
The reason jobs are lost? They were lost because of greed. The owners want to make millions, not pay people what they are worth.
XLOON,
Obama did not cause the financial crisis, greed did. However, he put use trillions in debt by bailouts that more than one company has yet to payback. Those companies should have folded. Yes, a lot of jobs would have been lost, but the same idiots are still running the companies. So, where is the fix?
ALHACAT,
Womack does not work for Wal-Mart nor Tyson. Never did. He was the Mayor for Rogers for many years and he was the commander for the Guard unit in NW Arkansas.
Posted by: 1JD
August 23, 2012 at 2:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
1JD,
Stay safe and keep those Hawgs flying. My buddies are counting on it. You guys will always have the support of your TACPs and JTACs.
XLoon,
The JSF is a long term deal and for more missions than CAS and CSAR. Like the Raptor, it is a weapon system being procured to keep up with tommorrow's fight. There is nothing outdated or obsolete about my beloved Hawg, and no Green Party candidate is going to change my mind about Colonel Womack either.
-Tank
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 23, 2012 at 4:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tank,
i usually agree with your posts, but am wondering if you could explain any legislation that REP Womack has voted for that would help all of NW arkansas not just special interests like the military or big bussiness?
Walmarts #1 competitor is Amazon.com
Womack signature project since elected is to help deregulate for big bussiness, remove taxes for the wealthy and big businesses. and to stop our online buying by adding state tax to the sales. this is a great increase on all arkansas buyers who might go on line instead of heading to the local walmart store. now we like to shop for most things at walmart but sometimes we choose to shop on line and can get as good. Womack is admamant to stop this on line shopping that competes with Walmart. He is definitely their # 1 friend. he is trying to cut student loans to students, said at a meeting they should all go serve in the military if they want a college education like he did. He wants no part of helping the middle class save medicare or social security altho all those in Bella Vista are also paying his full time salary and health care.
he voted no on all the transportation bills? why? because they were democratic bills not his very own. He is arrogant and preaches to those who ask him questions, he does not represent most of the people in the 3rd district.
womack was probably a good mayor and did some good things there...he is way over his head in washington so just follows Eric Cantor's(wall streets friend) lead. we all need to be heard in washington. i am glad he is listening to you guys but anyone else in in NW arkansas that does not make over $250,000 a year is a fool to vote for him.
Posted by: ladyLiberty
August 23, 2012 at 7:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tank,
Thank you for your support in this forgotten war. We are starting to feel like the Vietnam troops, forgotten.
XLoon,
All I have to say, is, if you don't like the way big Gov. is operating. Run for office...........
Posted by: 1JD
August 23, 2012 at 8:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Why do people pointing out that Womack doesn't stand up for his unemployed constituents who work for factories and the post office sound like a bunch of whiners? He stands up for military jobs because he's a military person. He stands up for corporations because they are his big contributors, i.e., protecting HIS job. Citizens of this country pointing out the truth are not whiners. Our inalienable right to free speech is a gift of the Creator, not the military. The military does a great many things that are absolutely not for my benefit, as they go against my moral beliefs and waste my money. Being in the military does not make you perfect, and it does not make your concerns greater than mine. Many--not all-- in the military today use it as a jobs program, and their job is more protected and has better benefits than others. Maybe 1JD is doing some whining because he is now facing the same worries as the rest of us. The point of this discussion was that most of the unemployed in his district are IGNORED, if not belittled, by Womack.
Posted by: inquire
August 23, 2012 at 8:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
1JD,
I think its funny that you ask others to put politics aside and then start into a political rant of your own. Your service is appreciated, but we all have opinions on how our tax dollars should be spent (or not spent).
Many of us believe that we should focus less on conflict and spend less money waging war. It is important for us to be able to defend our country, but if we do not focus on our country what are you fighting for? We may soon end up like the USSR with a grand army and nothing left to defend.
Posted by: jlonber
August 23, 2012 at 8:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
inquire,
You talk just like the people that spat on troops returning from Vietnam. Our inalienable right to free speech does come from God... and it is guaranteed by folks like 1JD and me in the military.
RE-
"Many--not all-- in the military today use it as a jobs program, and their job is more protected and has better benefits than others."
Tell that to the wife and kids of one of my professional community’s great officers that was killed this month fighting for your right to talk horse manure about the military.
1JD,
You keep those jets in the air and all the other JTACs and I will keep giving those "cleared hot" calls. I can't wait to get back in the fight when this Korea tour is over. Stay safe and feel free to hit me up on my profile message board. My people and I would like to send you guys some care packages.
-Tank
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 23, 2012 at 9:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I never spat on anyone in my life, but I sure knew Vietnam was wrong, and now after all these years many responsible for it have been proven to have known the truth at the time. Also, back then, most were drafted. Today they choose to be in the military.
The feelings, if not all the actions, of the protestors have been proven to be correct. And William Calley, he got off almost unpunished.
Posted by: inquire
August 23, 2012 at 9:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
And BTW, my father was a veteran of WWII and still knew the VIetnam War was wrong. Just because a person has been in the military does not mean they have to be brainwashed by it.
Posted by: inquire
August 23, 2012 at 9:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
inquire,
My grandfather was a fighter pilot in WWII and he still knew Vietnam was right. Just because someone wasn't in the military doesn't mean they have to be brainwashed against it. If you hate the military so much, why not move to a country that doesn't have one... wait, those guys rely on our military for defense.
I'm glad we don't have draft. I much rather have teammates that want to be there.
Respectfully,
Tank
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 23, 2012 at 9:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I have a friend who's husband is a VIetnam Vet, and could get disability because of it. He refuses to apply, saying it would be blood money, a reward for the awful things he did there. This man came home with his sense of morality intact.
Posted by: inquire
August 23, 2012 at 10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Recommended viewing:
Documentary of the year (2003) "The Fog of War" where the architect, McNamara, admits they knew it was lost early on. See also his ten lessons of Vietnam:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fog_...
Vietnam killed 58,000+ Americans directly (and many more indirectly) and 3-5 million Vietnamese. And we now know the government continued to throw away lives (probably most of them) after they knew it was hopeless. It's hard to see any sense in which such a mess can be considered "right."
Posted by: fayfreethinker
August 23, 2012 at 10:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
so now we need those (hippies in the 60s) now baby boomers again!? this time rise up to save the middle class. of course it is not going to be a politician that does it for us..the people need to raise there voices to stop the sensless wars, and corruption in our government again.
remember what caused the fall of Rome?
moral corruption and too much building up of the military. when the only jobs left are the governing in washington , pentagon and the military..we will look like russia, and other mighty countries that fell.
Posted by: ladyLiberty
August 23, 2012 at 11:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I felt bad for those drafted against their will in previous eras. Yet we had a more balanced selection of people, most of whom did what they had to do , then went home and got on with civilian life. Men such as my father. Having all volunteers, recruited on a jobs promise, attracts some who like it too much for all the wrong reasons, and leads to a self perpetuating military jobs program. If we don't keep getting entangled in wars, they might lose their jobs.
We need a jobs program, all right. One that will rebuild the infrastructure of this country, instead of constantly blowing up those of other countries and then paying to rebuild them.
I don't hate the military. I hate a lot of what the military does, expecting us to approve of it in the name of misguided patriotism. I hate the immoral waste of our resources when so many other things need to be done. The US military is the largest single source of pollution in this country.
Posted by: inquire
August 23, 2012 at 11:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tankersley101--
RE "You talk just like the people that spat on troops returning from Vietnam."
See http://www.vvaw.org/veteran/article/?...
Posted by: AlphaCat
August 23, 2012 at 1:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Thanks, Alpha. I knew that but had forgotten it.
Posted by: inquire
August 23, 2012 at 2:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
inquire,
RE-
"Yet we had a more balanced selection of people, most of whom did what they had to do , then went home and got on with civilian life."
I won't ever question the abilities, courage, or motives of the veterans that came before me. You shouldn't be so quick to judge the all-volunteer force of today or the any military veterans for that matter.
I've seen some pretty disturbing things and been to places where Americans have committed grievous war crimes. I know those things happen, but those isolated incidents don't define our forces. By the way, the US military is leading the way in pushing renewable and clean energy.
"Though many people may not realize it, the United States Military is a leader in renewable energy projects."
http://sunetric.com/blog/post/the-u-s...
-Tank
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 23, 2012 at 6:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Inquire,
Our "balanced selection" of people in the military today is so diverese it would blow your mind. We are a more diverse military than we ever have been in the history of our country... ethnically, racially, religiously, socio-ecnomically, etc.
-Tank
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 23, 2012 at 6:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
XLoon,
Century after century of invasion caused the fall of the Roman Empire.
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 23, 2012 at 6:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
I supposed by balanced I meant since we no longer draft, we have no one in the military who is truly opposed to war or violence, since they all signed up. Having some people around who were morally opposed to much of what goes on may have kept the lid on some of the things that happen now. I've actually heard new recruits say things like "I can't wait to get there and kill me some Iraquis", or brag about being a trained killer.
Posted by: inquire
August 23, 2012 at 6:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
inquire,
You are going to hear young inexperienced people in any place or profession says some foolish things. Training and experience should cure that. Remember though, the military is reflection of society to some degree.
-Tank
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 23, 2012 at 7 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
inquire,
RE-
"we have no one in the military who is truly opposed to war or violence, since they all signed up"
That is a poor assumption as well.
Posted by: Tankersley101
August 23, 2012 at 7:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
But these young, inexperienced people have guns, and the power of life and death over foreign civilians they encounter.
Posted by: inquire
August 23, 2012 at 9:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tankersley101--
RE "Century after century of invasion caused the fall of the Roman Empire."
That is one of the causes of the fall of the Roman Empire. But note that this cause was facilitated by the following things:
-- the Roman Empire's incautious expenditure of natural resources
The Roman Empire burned most of its wood in pursuit of maintaining its lifestyle-- which a lot of people claim was decadent. We should remember this as we insist upon using petroleum as the basis of our energy supply, which we use in decadent ways.
-- extension of their frontier to locations and extents that made it indefensible
As our nation is not contiguous to the stomping grounds of barbarian hordes with more barbarian hordes behind them, and as our military exposure is greatest when we have adventures in other countries, I don't think staying at home will hurt us much. The Roman Empire had some 6,000 miles of frontier to defend. Consider the far greater resources we have to defend some 7,600 miles of land borders and 12,000 miles of coastline (contiguous states, Alaska, Hawaii, and all territories).
-- hiring of barbarian mercenaries to do their fighting for them
Sounds like sort of a not-very-selective all-volunteer army.
We have a demonstrated need for improvements to our utility, healthcare and transportation infrastructure, a demonstrated need for more jobs, an arguable need to maintain the social safety net, and a demonstrated obligation to maintain entitlements. There is not even a theoretical need to maintain military spending at current levels. There is no reason in the world why we should continue to spend more on our military than all of our enemies-- plus a lot of our friends-- combined. Even if we don't stay home.
Posted by: AlphaCat
August 24, 2012 at 12:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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