Tennessee a Winner – So Far – in Defense Cut Plans

As the Pentagon prepares for deep budget cuts Tennessee is getting some good news from Air Force officials, but spending cuts could still be coming down the pike for the state’s military installations.

To meet the Pentagon’s goal of saving $450 billion the Air Force wants to reshuffle the Air National Guard. So far the plan is an overall win for Tennessee.

Nashville will lose a fleet of massive C-130 cargo planes, but gains both a cyber and an intelligence unit. And the air base gets a squadron of unmanned aerial vehicles. Knoxville is slated to get new transport planes as well, and Memphis isn’t seeing major reductions in its fleet, which Republican Senator Lamar Alexander says is good news.

“What we ended up with was a proposal that should secure Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis as important bases for the future.”

But more cuts are coming. Pentagon officials have asked for another BRAC – Base Realignment and Closure Commission. It’s an outside panel which recommends changes in order to take politics out of the process. Many Republicans oppose the idea. But Tennessee Congressman Jimmy Duncan says he’d support it…even if it meant cuts in his district.

“I would be in favor of it, because if we’re going to even come close to bringing our budget into balance we’ve got to look for savings in every department and agency in the entire federal government.”

The Air Force recommendations for Tennessee’s Air National Guard still need approval from the Pentagon’s top brass, but lawmakers expect the plan to be accepted.