The last three F-15 jets left Great Falls on Thursday (October 24) around 10:30 a.m. It was a historical moment in the history of Montana Air National Guard as jets have been assigned there since 1947. I watched the F-15s give us one more show as they flew in formation over their former home. Then they accelerated and, as if to say goodbye, they rattled my windows and dishes in the cabinet one more time – which brought a smile to my face.

The jets then disappeared over the horizon heading for a very warm welcome in California.

Their departure was a decisive win for Fresno, California, (where they were headed) and a devastating loss for Great Falls and the state of Montana.

Looking down the yellow brick road of promises, Montana is promised a few C-130 cargo planes. Maybe in the spring of 2014. Maybe not. It does not matter; you can’t duplicate the sound of freedom with a cargo plane.

Montana did not need to lose its fighter mission.

The only thing that delayed their departure was the government shutdown, but I was hoping that an elected official or someone would step up and fight for them. It did not happen. Frankly, it was an embarrassing time for Montana’s elected officials. They should be ashamed they let the Department of Defense (DoD) get away with it. No matter how much they proclaim they fought to keep the jets, it was not enough. No matter how much they proclaim the cargo planes are great for Montana, they aren’t.

It was on the watch of Senators Baucus and Tester, Representative Daines, and Governor Bullock that Montana lost the jets – a mission that Montana had in one form or another for over 60 years.

U.S. Senator Max Baucus is Montana’s senior senator, and he likes to tout the fact that he is “powerful.” He brought CEOs from all over the country to Montana over the past several years for economic development summits, but he did not have enough “power” to keep a few jets in Montana.

Baucus was the senior senator when the KC-135s refueling tankers and jobs left Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB) which is near Great Falls (MT). He was the senior senator when 50 missiles were removed from Malmstrom (and the jobs that went with them), and now he is the senior senator when the F-15s and jobs left Montana. He also botched opening the runway at Malmstrom when he tried to get credit for re-opening it before it was a done deal.

Let’s hope historians write a few of these facts about Baucus’ weak support of Montana’s military.

U.S. Senator Jon Tester seems to be following in Baucus’ footsteps. Tester ran against Conrad Burns in 2006 and said he would fight for Montana’s military. In the campaign of 2006, the Tester campaign website proudly proclaimed that, “Jon will fight tirelessly in the Senate to keep Montana’s missions and keep America safe. Under Senator Burns, Malmstrom has experienced many disappointments including losing its flying mission in 1996 and failing to land the X-33 as promised.” Full disclosure – I was on the staff of Senator Conrad Burns from 1995-2007.

I guess Tester grew tired of fighting “tirelessly.” The disappointments are starting to pile up under his watch, too.

I had high hopes for Tester. I feel he really cares about our Nation’s veterans, but he’s lacking in support for the military. I thought it looked good for Montana’s military for a while because Tester secured a key seat on the Senate Appropriations committee, and he is a member of the Military Construction and Homeland Security subcommittees. A good statesman would have used his clout from those committees to save the jets. Tester failed “to keep Montana’s missions” as promised. Under Tester, the Guard lost its jets and the jobs that go with them, and it was during his watch that 50 missiles were removed from Malmstrom, along with the jobs.

As for the Montana’s current lone Representative, Steve Daines, I don’t hold out much hope that he will stay in one office long enough to get enough clout so key people will even return his phone calls. He also lacks knowledge about military issues. His predecessor, Denny Rehberg, was gaining seniority and learning on the job, but he decided he wanted to be a U.S. Senator and lost it all, which hurt Montana in the Defense world.

The last two Governors share in the blame, too, but especially Brian Schweitzer. Schweitzer seemed to buy in to the cargo plane plan, and as the Commander in Chief of the National Guard in Montana, he could have been the key to stopping it. Current Governor Steve Bullock seems a little weak on military issues. His Lt. Governor, John Walsh, worked for Schweitzer as the Adjutant General, so the Bullock/Walsh team basically followed Schweitzer’s lead on the issue.

Baucus, Tester, and Rehberg all came out against expanding the Powder River training complex in southeastern Montana. This let the DoD and aerospace companies know that Montana’s skies were closed. This did not help Montana’s cause in keeping the jets, either.

Face it folks, Montana is sorely lacking in elected officials who even know the difference between a C-130 and an F-15 or a Minuteman missile and a bottle rocket.

The Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has what they call a “Montana Defense Alliance” which is an exclusive group that has a $300 per year membership fee (on top of the cost of joining the chamber). Their mission statement, in part, says the group will, “Facilitate community and government support to sustain and enhance existing military missions and pursue future missions…”

They also take trips, meet with people, and go out to dinner. Only the Chamber members can decide if they are fulfilling their mission. I personally don’t think they are. They are inadequate as a group that lobbies for Montana’s military.

In closing, Montana has been promised a “player to be named later” which is supposed to be C-130 cargo planes, which is better than no planes at all. Will the promise of cargo planes for the Montana National Guard be fulfilled? I sure hope so, although this whole situation feels like Great Falls and the state of Montana just finished fourth in some Olympic event.

I am sure Montana’s elected officials will fight to the bitter end for the promised planes, just as they have for military missions in the past…

Jackie M. (Mike) Brown honorably served his country in the United States Air Force from 1981 to 1992 and also served as a military advisor to a U.S. senator from 1995 to 2007.

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