Like many folks, I was very happy to hear about the Montana Air National Guard possibly obtaining a new aircraft mission (C-130).

I say “possibly” because this change in missions is planned for well into the future (almost two years) so anything can happen that could alter those plans.  The world is ever-changing and so are defense and security needs.  There could be a change in administrations.  The state where the eight planes are scheduled to come from could have a congressional delegation that puts up a fight to keep their planes.  Finally, our country is in deep financial trouble and there need to be cuts.

I also enjoyed poking a little fun at some of the story like Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer and his Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. John Walsh issuing a press release (the day before) that told us they “believe they will receive notification of the new flying mission…”If you “believe” it they will come…and it did!

There was also the sentence in the Great Falls Tribune story that gave me a chuckle when someone wrote about the eight “large” C-130 planes; I guess they were contrasting that to eight “small” C-130 planes…

The whole C-130 situation was also great political theater!  Schweitzer, a Democrat, needed to be involved some way in this big announcement (he is a politician and his term as Governor is coming to an end) so he issued the press release (a day before) to get into the story – probably much to Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester’s dismay.  I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when Baucus/Tester (and their people) read Schweitzer’s press release.

Tester needed his name in this story to shore up votes in Cascade County (where the Montana Air National Guard is located).  Baucus is a little worried that Schweitzer (or any breathing Democrat) will take him on in 2014, and with Baucus’ light not burning too brightly these days, he wanted to be needed to be in the story.

The only thing that would have ticked off Democrats Baucus and Tester more would have been if the “lone Congressman” Republican Denny Rehberg would have announced it.

One person told me that it was like watching a dog and pony show listening to Baucus and Tester taking credit for everything that is good in the world during their press conference at the airport when announcing the C-130 mission in Great Falls.  One has to remember that politicians are pretty egotistical in nature and would do most anything for some positive press coverage.

One of the funnier lines came when Tester was talking about the C-130s.  Tester showed us his knowledge of military aircraft is at a premium when he said, “They’re different than the F15s…”

Uh…huh…but at least he did not say they were “large.”

The odd person out and probably a loser in all this was Republican Congressman Denny Rehberg.  But Rehberg was not left out without a fight – he fired a warning shot that he was not giving up on the F-15s.  He issued a press release with the headline, “We’ll Take the C-130s, But Leave the F-15s Too.”

Good idea.  There would be nothing at all wrong with that.

The Montana Air National Guard is located in what I call a battleground area (June 8, 2011 column) for the possible Rehberg/Tester General Election match-up.  Tester earned a victory with this announcement, but Schweitzer and Baucus kept him from getting the perfect score and all the glory that comes with being perceived as a leader.  Tester needs all the help he can get during his re-election year.

Finally, it does not appear that everyone likes the proposed new mission.  A non-scientific poll that was in the Great Falls Tribune asked the question “Are you pleased that the MT Air National Guard F-15s will be replaced with C-130 planes?”  With 250 people responding, 52% said No and 48% said Yes.

Let’s face it, jets are just sexier.  Top Gun was not about “large” cargo planes…

Follow Jack on Twitter @TheWesternWord.