For Immediate Release
January 25, 2007
Media Contact: Ray Yonkura
(202) 225-2676
Jordan Hails Announcement of New Heavy Construction Mission for National Guard in Mansfield Announcement Expected to Bring Millions in Military Construction Dollars to the Region
Washington, DC -- The National Guard today announced a major new mission that will help secure the future of Guard operations in Mansfield and is expected to bring more than $40 million in military construction funding to the area, Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) has announced.
Lieutenant General H. Stephen Blum, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, confirmed that a new Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron--Engineers (RED HORSE) unit will be located at Mansfield Lahm Airport, home of the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio National Guard.
"This announcement is terrific news for Mansfield and the entire region," Jordan said. "It reflects the outstanding capability of the men and women of the 179th, who continue to play a leading role in homeland defense and the Global War on Terror."
RED HORSE units provide heavy repair and construction functions where land-based forces are not available or practical. These self-sufficient air-based units are designed for rapid deployment to remote, high-threat environments.
The announcement comes just twenty months after the Pentagon recommended the complete shutdown of Guard operations in Mansfield. That decision was reversed by the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission, thanks in large part to the community's strong showing of support for the 179th.
"Mayor Lydia Reid and the Richland County Economic Development Corporation (REDeC) BRAC Team deserve major thanks and congratulations for spearheading local support for the 179th," Jordan said. "It made the difference in attracting new missions to the base."
While the BRAC Commission did authorize the removal of the 179th's C-130 aircraft in 2010, the National Guard last year announced that the unit will receive a Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) mission to replace the C-130s. Jordan credited his predecessor, former Congressman Michael G. Oxley, for helping to secure this new mission.
"Mike Oxley worked tirelessly along with Senator George Voinovich and former Senator Mike DeWine to support the vital missions performed by the 179th," Jordan noted. "Their efforts last year helped guarantee funding for the initial phases of the JCA program."
In addition to the new infrastructure required for the RED HORSE and JCA missions, a new Armed Forces Reserve Center will be built at Mansfield Lahm. The Scouten Army Reserve Center in Mansfield and the Parrott Army Reserve Center in Kenton will be relocated to this new facility.
Altogether, new construction required at Mansfield Lahm to house these new missions is expected to bring more than $40 million in federal construction funding to the area.
"The 179th is already a major contributor to the local economy, with an annual impact of $70 million," Jordan said. "This new federal funding will bring good construction jobs to Mansfield and a significant boost to the local economy."
