Lack Of Funding Causing Problems For Local Air National Guard

More than 400 members of Tulsa's Air National Guard are just weeks away from deploying to Iraq. As they prepare to fly missions overseas, a lack of funding is causing problems here at home. It's

Thursday, May 31st 2007, 2:57 pm

By: News On 6

More than 400 members of Tulsa's Air National Guard are just weeks away from deploying to Iraq. As they prepare to fly missions overseas, a lack of funding is causing problems here at home. It's getting a bit crowded during daily practice flights at the 138th fighter wing. The News On 6â€™s Heather Lewin reports the Pentagon shifted around personnel and equipment to save money, but that shift is causing money problems of its own.

Tulsa gained nine new F-16's from Iowa. They now have 26 planes on base, but are equipped to house just 15. Not only is there no room for the new jets, but pilots have to deal with a deteriorating ramp to taxi on, where just one loose pebble could spell disaster.

â€œWith the F-16 engine, it acts like a big vacuum cleaner, so any small pieces of concrete that are left on the ramp can get sucked up and do major damage to the engine," said Col Bruce Butters.

Those engines cost about $2 million each. High ranking officials say the federal effort to consolidate the guard did not account for extra staffing and money needed. Tulsa's Air Guard needs about $10 million just to resurface the aircraft ramp and provide parking places for the new planes. Another challenge is recruiting.

"With the additional airplanes, we're gonna need additional maintenance personnel,â€ said Butters. â€œWe have 121 military positions. We have to fill close to 50 full-time positions. We have to fill over the next six to nine months."

Oklahoma City is facing similar challenges after the government decided to move the 137th's transport planes out of state and relocate personnel from Will Rogers to Tinker Air Force Base.

Watch the video: Air National Guard Dealing With Funding Problems