Congratulations go out to Montana State Senator Edward Buttrey for sponsoring a resolution (Senate Resolution No. 28) in the Montana Legislature that urges the Department of Defense (DOD) to reconsider the move of F-15C/D fighter jets from the Montana Air National Guard in Great Falls, Montana, to Fresno, California.

This is great work by Buttrey. It’s nice to see something positive coming out of the Montana Legislature for a change – and it’s equally nice to see that the Great Falls area has a state legislator who cares about (and understands) the military.

Although resolutions have no teeth and they sometimes tick off those mentioned, it does let the DOD know the feelings of Montana in regards to the possible loss of the F-15s. It lays it out – the good, the bad, and the ugly for all to read. It should pass the state senate unanimously.

Plus, this resolution brings up the issue about the federal investigation into the possible “double-dipping” being done by some pilots and commanders within the Fresno Air National Guard. That issue alone should terminate any decision to move Montana’s F-15s to California.

While I am never in favor of bringing up the “economic impact” a base or mission has on a community, because the DOD does not care about that, Buttrey’s resolution does mention Montana’s open skies, that there are no encroachment issues, and a reenlistment rate eight percent higher than the national average. Plus, it would be a big waste of taxpayer money to make this move.

After reading the resolution, even a novice on military issues will see that it is a very impractical idea for the DOD to even consider moving the F-15s to California. After this resolution is passed, the Montana Congressional Delegation (Sen. Baucus, Rep. Rehberg, and Sen. Tester) should hand-deliver it to the Secretary of Defense.

The military supporters in and around Great Falls (including the staff at The Western Word) now have hope that we, once again, have an elected official (Sen. Buttrey) who has some understanding of Montana’s military – it’s just too bad he works in Helena and not in Washington, D.C.