Posted on 04/19/2014 1:33:21 PM PDT by lbryce
As if the Obama administration's purchase of more than 2 billion rounds of ammunition, and nearly 3,000 urban tanks, along with their unprecedented (and highly illegal) domestic spying program was not enough to convince you that the federal government is about to suspend the Constitution once and for all, the man who once vowed to run "the most transparent administration in history" has just rather inexplicably, ordered the U.S. Army to seize every Apache attack helicopter currently in use by the National Guard.
In all, the Defense Department will confiscate 192 Apaches from National Guard units around the country and give them to the active duty Army.
In exchange for the heavily armed and highly maneuverable choppers, Guard units will receive 111 UH-60 Blackhawk transport helicopters from the Army, Defense One reports.
Last week, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee, claiming that the measure will save taxpayers $12 billion, over the next three years.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
With the recent, attempted seizure of the Bundy family ranch in Nevada by more than 200 armed federal officers, including many snipers, we know that the Obama administration is not afraid to use force against the American people. I would have to consider the confiscation of these helicopters a worrisome move. (gulp!)
Can’t we just call it a “Recall” for repairs? That’s the ticket for liberals.
It just wouldn’t do for the militia to have
apache choppers in the line up.
Why does the National Guard need Apaches?
Can’t have the plumbers, rodeo clowns and arrowhead collectors shooting BACK, now can we...?
The Examiner isn’t a real anything, and nobody confiscated anything.
Moving things from active to Guard and vice-versa is a normal activity.
The question to me is where are these Apaches going to go. Obviously the military does not need them right now.
What 3,000 "tanks"?
And why is saving 12 billion dollars a bad thing?
Here is a Heritage Foundation article, a source better than this nutcase.
The Heritage Foundation:
Congress Should Avert Delays in the Armys Aviation Restructuring Plans
“The Armys decision to transfer AH-64 Apache helicopters from the National Guard to the active force has sparked a debate that ultimately concerns the roles, missions, and contributions of these ground components. Congress should prevent unnecessary delays in the implementation of these plans while making a stronger commitment to providing the resources that the armed forces need to maintain national security.”
(snip)
“Congress should support the Armys efforts to rebalance its assets in a way that benefits both active and Guard components. This can be done by resisting attempts to slow the plan from being executed as quickly as possible while also striving to fund the requirements of the Army and other services more robustly.
Win-Win for Active Army and National Guard
As proposed, the Armys Aviation Restructure Concept will transfer all of the Guards 192 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters to the active component and 15 percent of the active components UH-60 Blackhawk utility helicopters to the Guard and Reserve.”
Because many National Guard Units are combat unit. Combat units which have been deployed many times to combat zones.
Combat units are supposed to have organic assets so it can train/deploy as a unit to be effective in combat.
Medical, artillery, signal, transportation. logistics, engineers and yes - rotary wing ground attack air units.
The National Guard is the Wal-Mart of national defense.
If the federal government was serious about saving money, they’d let the states keep the Apaches and give them the other helicopters too.
I recall the then standard response to a logical question from the Army since Washington’s command: “Good Training.”
They have them for the reserve/National Guard pilots that fly them when they are activated as they were for Afghanistan and Iraq. The state guard units and reserve units have all the same equipment that the active forces have.
Yep. The National Guard does the same job for about 1/3 the cost. If they really wanted to be constitutional and save money, they would slash the active duty and build up the Guard. No need to have such a large active duty if you stay within the bounds of the constitution and stay out of every wild fire in the world.
> In exchange for the heavily armed and highly maneuverable choppers, Guard units will receive 111 UH-60 Blackhawk transport helicopters from the Army, Defense One reports.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3145567/posts
Moving things from active to Guard and vice-versa is a normal activity.
Why'd you have to show up and ruin a perfectly good conspiracy theory? Doncha know those Apaches were for the FEMA camps?
Aren’t NG units deployed in combat situations? I know the 69th NY has been deployed at least twice to Iraq. These units are expected to fit seamlessly into the Toe of their operations command. How does transferring the Apache sustain a unit’s ability to perform it’s mission? I really don’t want to go all tinfoil here but 30 years ago ABC did a mini series called Amerika. The Soviets had taken over using EMPs.They divided the nation into five zones and allowed each zone a locally raised guard, but much less well armed than the US troops that were the true occupying force.A poorly armed militia is a scary thought.
I know Michigan didn’t pay for the A-10s and other military aircraft stationed at Selfridge ANG base.
When they say saving the taxpayers they could give a F about us. They lie! If we “THE AMERICAN CITIZEN” are labeled as a domestic terrorist they are treasonist bastards who should be sent to the gallows
That’s because they have features that are not strictly for Sporting Purposes.
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