There’s a new recently formed group fighting for Montana’s military called “Citizens for Montana’s Military.”

State Senator-elect Ed Buttrey provided KRTV in Great Falls a Position Brief On “The Business Case for F-15’s Staying in Montana” and it’s already in the hands of the decision makers in Washington, D.C. You can read the briefing and the story by clicking HERE.

Using Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates’ six point efficiency initiative, the group has clearly defined several reasons to keep the F-15s at the Montana Air National Guard.

It’s good to see the group, which by their name, is looking out for military missions across the state and just not in Central Montana. With Buttrey heading to the State Legislature in January, I hope he can compel his fellow state legislators and other interested parties from across of the state to join this group and maybe convince the state of Montana to create an office to deal exclusively with keeping and expanding Montana’s military missions – as I had mentioned in my columns about the Montana military called, “Ready to Fight?”

Several other states have such offices, such as California’s Office of Military and Aerospace Support. This office “acts as the official liaison to the U.S. Department of Defense and is the state’s leader on issues involving military base retention, conversion and reuse. OMAS is focused on maintaining California’s prominence both as a national military resource and contributor to the state’s economy.”

Montana is home to several Guard and Reserve units in many of the major cities as well as an active duty Air Force Base (Malmstrom) near Great Falls and an Air National Guard Wing at the Great Falls International Airport. The military touches communities across Montana – it’s good to see there’s a state-wide group being formed to lead the fight.