GOVERNOR BLAGOJEVICH SENDS REPRESENTATIVE TO WASHINGTON, DC TODAY IN ONGOING CAMPAIGN TO SAVE ALL ILLINOIS MILITARY BASES

Scott Air Force Base contributes more than $1.5 billion to the state's economy every year and supports nearly 50,000 jobs.  Scott, which is the largest employer in Southern Illinois, is a major joint command headquarters base located in St. Clair County.  It is home to the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and the Air Mobility Command (AMC).  Scott is also home to the 18th Air Force, 375th Airlift Wing, the 932nd Reserve Airlift Wing and the 126th Air National Guard Refueling Wing.  The units of Scott Air Force Base are well trained and have the latest in technology control centers.  Scott is centrally located with

excellent facilities that have growth capability.  The construction of MidAmerica St. Louis Airport as a joint-use facility adjacent to the base added a new 10,000-foot runway, a parallel taxiway, and renovated and extended Scott's runway to 8,000 feet.  In addition, a new state-of-the-art, FAA traffic control tower was added as the last link in the ability to handle more with maximum safety.  The units operating at Scott, coupled with the facility improvements, will accommodate contingencies, mobilization and future force requirements.  From deploying troops for national defense to transporting the President of the United States, it's all controlled and directed at Scott.

 

Rock Island Arsenal employs nearly 6,000 people, making it the second largest employer in the Northwest region, supports another 12,000 additional jobs and pumps more than $855 million a year into the local economy.  The Arsenal is a center for logistics and sustainment excellence for the Department of Defense (DOD).  It is the home to four major U.S. Army headquarters organizations that have regional and global responsibilities to soldiers - ranging from Army munitions management to regional installation management.  The Arsenal also houses more than 50 other DOD organizations and provides infrastructure support to all the organizations on the island.  The Army's Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center - Rock Island (JTMC-RI) has the technical expertise and equipment to provide full-service design and prototyping, manufacturing, and testing/simulation for a wide variety of products from rapid response to warfighter requirements for all of the Armed Services.  The Arsenal is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturing facilities.  This manufacturing mission has been called on to support short-notice, critical items for soldiers in the field, including armored door kits for Humvees, weapons pedestals and electronic night sights for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through new business avenues, the Arsenal is also partnering with some non-military entities to assist and advance manufacturing technologies in the private sector.  

 

The Springfield Air National Guard Base, which contributes more than $60 million into the local economy, is located at the Springfield Capitol Airport and provides critical support to the U.S. Air Force, Department of

Defense and our allies related to its flying military missions, including air to air, air to ground, air support, and search and rescue teams.  The unit also has several other crucial missions from engineer and communication teams to many other one, two or 20 person teams related to different military support missions, security police and chaplains of several denominations.  This unit also has firefighters with a support agreement where the U.S. Air Force provides 100% of the airport's crash fire protection for both the commercial airport and the air guard.  Homeland defense is also an important part of its portfolio because it serves as a back up for protecting civilian commercial aircraft for Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City and Indianapolis.  This unit is ready for the next generation of Air Force aircraft because the base has extra ramp space available.  The 183^rd Fighter Wing has the desire, capability and the work ethic to handle any future missions with full community support for a seamless transition when called upon to meet any joint fighting, training and readiness requirement.

 

The Peoria Air National Guard Base, which contributes more than $50 million into the economy and contracts with more than 300 local businesses, provides exceptional support to the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Defense and our allies.  With a 57-year history of diversity in operations, the 182nd Airlift Wing has demonstrated a pivotal response to joint/multinational requirements, including its current involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The unit's experience and performance in on-going airlift operations, its past experience in fighter operations, and its in-depth expertise in management and control of tactical air assets graphically reflect the reasons for the organization's successes and the frequent recognition received by its members.  A major thrust of the 182nd's mission is to provide world-class training and readiness opportunities, not only for its own members, but for those of other organizations and other service departments as well.  Superior existing facilities, expansion capability, and recruiting and retention history enable the 182nd to easily accommodate support of operations and training for contingency, mobilization and increased future total force requirements should the Department of Defense deem that appropriate.