Flood threat taken in stride; doesn’t undermine Pentagon faith in 139th at Rosecrans

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Photo courtesy of the Air National Guard 139th Airlift Wing

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt says the Air National Guard 139^th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Airport remains a vital part of the national defense.

Congress last year approved a defense budget which contains money to modernize the Air Guard’s C-130s as well as improve the Advanced Airlift Tactical Training Unit at Rosecrans.

Blunt says the Pentagon has yet to get back to him about when the 8^th C-130 aircraft will return to the 139^th Airlift Wing. Blunt is pressing military officials to return the Air Guard in St. Joseph to its full strength.

“We are going to be working hard to be sure that we get that 8^th plane back here as we’re working to move forward with the training facility that’s being built so that the on the ground simulator also maximizes its purpose,” Blunt tells reporters during a visit to St. Joseph. “This is an important part of our national priority for defense.”

The defense bill passed by Congress last year provided money to modernize the Air Guard’s C-130 aircraft as well as make improvements to the Advanced Airlift Tactical Training unit at Rosecrans.

Potential flooding hasn’t seemed to undermine the faith the Pentagon has in basing the 139^th at Rosecrans Airport.

Blunt says changes made in wake of previous floods seemed to work when floodwaters threatened this year.

“Moving that water on through so that the water doesn’t come into the area in St. Joe that used to be flooded or doesn’t go across the river to Elwood, Kansas or Rosecrans, either one. I think we have enough information from what we’ve seen this year that the work that’s about to be completed on the east side of the river and the work that is now bid and about to be fully engaged on the other side of the river appear that that plan is going to do exactly what we want it to do,” according to Blunt

Blunt says the Pentagon demonstrated its faith in Rosecrans by investing $40 million in the military operations at the Air Guard base. Floodwaters this year threatened to top the levee protecting Elwood, Kansas, but sand-bagging efforts proved successful.