NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
ONE MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, NORTHWEST WASHINGTON, D.C. 20001 (202) 789-0031 FAX (202) 682-9358
July 23, 2013
The Honorable Suzanne Bonamici
U.S. House of Representatives
439 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Bonamici:
Thank you for introducing Amendment #65 to H.R. 2397, the FY2014 Department of Defense appropriations
bill, that would that would prohibit the Army from retiring, divesting, transferring or preparing to retire, divest
or transfer any of the 34 C-23 Sherpa aircraft operated by the Army National Guard and provide funding to
keep them operationally viable.
As you know, your amendment would do two important things – it would save taxpayer dollars and ensure our
disaster responders have the tools they need for success. The Sherpa is a real world lifesaver, supporting
disaster response efforts across the country, moving helicopter and support crews and supplies at a moment’s
notice, including during Hurricane Sandy that ravaged the northeast and wildfires out west. Sherpas can provide
support faster and cheaper than helicopters, which are better suited to directly support the firefighting efforts. In
California alone, there have been more than 1,100 significant wildfires this year, double last year’s rate. The
Sherpa is also an extremely popular platform for the Special Operations community and San Diego’s SEAL
Team 7, who recently lauded the Sherpa, saying: “The ability for the Sherpa squadron to understand,
incorporate and immediately [provide] action…during tactical operations is a critical skill-set essential to
mission success and [SEAL Team 7’s] training requirements...no other airframe could provide these critical
services.”
Recognizing the importance of the Sherpa, current law prohibits its retirement. Unfortunately, the Army still
wants to remove it from the National Guard by literally throwing this middle-aged aircraft in the boneyard at the
end of the fiscal year. Because of this, the military will realize far greater costs of using substitute cargo aircraft.
According to the DoD’s own estimates, C-130s are twice as expensive. Too often we are shortsighted with our
defense dollars, ignoring the long-term picture that often brings cost savings. Retaining the C-23 will bring a
decade of O&M savings and provide timely, capable disaster response support.
Thanks you for your leadership and strong support on this issue and of our National Guard.
Sincerely,
Gus Hargett
Major General, USA, (Ret), NGAUS President