Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, DC - Three Great Falls community leaders who came to Washington to present their plan for keeping MANG’s (Montana Air National Guard) 120th Fighter Wing in Montana today got more than they bargained for: a chance to meet with and argue their case before a key BRAC Commission staff member closely involved with Air National Guard issues.  The invitation came at a meeting today with BRAC (Base Reduction and Closure) Commissioner James Hansen – hosted by Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, in Rehberg’s office.  Hansen invited the three – Airport Director Cynthia Schultz, attorney and Chairman of Committee of 80 Warren Wenz, and businessman Mike Flaherty to make their presentation at the BRAC headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, tomorrow afternoon.

“They made a wonderful presentation to Jim Hansen today, and later to a group of Air Force generals in my office.  Hansen was impressed enough with their plan for saving MANG that he invited them to go over the details with BRAC commission staff,” Rehberg said.  “I was proud of the work Cynthia, Warren and Mike have done on this. It says a lot for the Great Falls community, and speaks volumes to those intimately acquainted with the BRAC process.”

Rehberg arranged both meetings at the request of the trio, hosting a 45 minute meeting with Hansen this morning, followed by a one hour meeting this afternoon in Rehberg’s office with Lt. Gen. Stephen G. Wood, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, and his deputy, Maj. Gen. Paul J. Fletcher.  Based at the Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C., Wood and Fletcher are responsible for developing future programs and strategy for the Air Force.

“The whole point of my arranging these meetings has been to connect community representatives, who have worked tirelessly to develop their own plan for Great Falls, with the key officials involved.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it’s important to let these officials hear directly from the community instead of bureaucrats and politicians,” Rehberg explained.

Drafted by Schultz and Flaherty, the plan entails sharing resources of both MANG and Malmstrom Air Force Base, maintaining air national guard F-16s at Great Falls, and picking up three additional aircraft.  The group has kept private specific details of their plan to avoid competition from other communities.

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