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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 115
BY REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON AND SENATOR PEACOCK
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions as are necessary to prevent
the retirement of A-10 aircraft assigned to the 917th Fighter Group, based at
Barksdale Air Force Base.
WHEREAS, established in 1932, the Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB), a United
States Air Force Base located approximately 4.72 miles east-southeast of Bossier City,
Louisiana, is named for World War I aviator and test pilot 2nd Lieutenant Eugene Hoy
Barksdale (1896–1926); and
WHEREAS, Barksdale Air Force Base has proudly served Arkansas, Louisiana, and
Texas for more than sixty-seven years and is home to the 2d Bomb Wing, 2d Mission
Support Group, 2d Operations Group, 2d Maintenance Group, the 2d Medical Group, 8th Air
Force Museum, and the Air Force Reserve's 917th Wing; and
WHEREAS, in December 1999, the 917th Wing received the Air Force outstanding
Unit Award, for winning the Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award and Secretary of
Defense Award for Self-Inspection Tracking System. The award noted the unit's
sponsorship of the Starbase program, which creates interest for local children in math,
science, and technology by using an aviation theme; and
WHEREAS, Barksdale Air Force Base has grown into a major source of revenue and
employment for the region by providing jobs for nearly ten thousand military and civilian
employees and in 2006, under Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), the 917th Wing
gained eight A-10 aircraft and a number of full-time and part-time employment positions;
and
WHEREAS, as part of a wide-ranging plan to reduce its total aircraft inventory, the
Obama administration intends to propose in the 2013 budget request, the elimination of ENROLLEDHCR NO. 115
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twenty-four A-10 aircraft that comprise the Air Force Reserve's 917th Fighter Group at
Barksdale Air Force Base; and
WHEREAS, the Air Force plans to rebalance its overall ratio of regular, reserve, and
Air National Guard forces at about sixty installations in thirty-three states and retire two
hundred twenty-seven aircraft to support a new defense strategy known as the "Air Force
Strategy and Structure Overview"; and
WHEREAS, for nearly eighty years the 917th Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base and
the Shreveport-Bossier community have enjoyed a strong partnership, which provides jobs
to the community and programs for the local children, and the elimination of the A-10
aircraft will have an adverse effect on not only the economy but the community as well.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
memorialize congress to take such actions as are necessary to oppose the elimination of A-10
aircraft assigned to the 917th Fighter Group, based at Barksdale Air Force Base.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Congress of the
United States of America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE