SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND AND MALONEY URGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD TO SELECT STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE AS SITE OF NEW AEROMEDICAL EVACUATION SQUADRON
Washington, D.C. – This week, Sens. Charles E. Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) urged Barbara Barrett, Secretary of the Air Force and General Joseph Lengyel, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, to select Stewart Air National Guard Base (ANG) in Newburgh, NY for the installation of a new Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES). The new AES squadron will bring state-of-the-art in-flight emergency medical care and new job opportunities to the Hudson Valley.
“Stewart Air National Guard Base is ideally situated for the Air National Guard’s Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and undoubtedly deserves to be selected. The existing infrastructure at this first-rate ANG installation, combined with the C-17s and phenomenal aircrews of the 105th Airlift Wing, ensure that Stewart would be more than capable of hosting the Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. I’ll continue doing everything in my power to bring the AES to Stewart, to create new jobs at the base and ensure that our troops receive the best medical care possible when risking their lives to protect our freedom,” said Senator Charles E. Schumer.
“Stewart ANG is the best choice for the Air National Guard’s new Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. When I met with the 105th Airlift Wing in October, it was clear that they have the capabilities and resources to successfully complete this new mission,” said Senator Gillibrand, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee. “The 105th Airlift Wing at Stewart Air National Guard Base is a critical asset to our country’s national security. Placing this new mission at Stewart would greatly increase the military’s ability to respond to medical emergencies, and support job creation and economic growth in the Hudson Valley. I was proud to fight to make sure that Stewart would be considered for this designation, and I will continue to advocate for the 105th Airlift Wing to be selected for this important mission.”
“From the beginning, we’ve been committed to landing this squadron here in the Hudson Valley – and we’re pulling out all the stops to show Stewart has the personnel and equipment to make the ideal new home for the mission. This new squadron will have a positive impact on both the Guard and our local economy, and we’re making a strong case for its selection,” said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney.
Earlier this year, Sens. Schumer, Gillibrand and Rep. Maloney launched a major push to bring the AES to Stewart ANG, as the National Guard Bureau began the process of considering locations for the new AES mission. In early December, the National Guard announced that Stewart Air National Guard Base was announced as a finalist to host the new AES.
The lawmakers argue that Stewart ANG, which is one of the largest in the nation, is an ideal location due to the operational, manpower, capacity and cost benefits provided by the base and wing. Stewart ANG’s 105 Airlift Wing currently operates the C-17, and is co-located at the installation with the United States Marine Corps KC-130 squadron. The nearest squadron is over 130 miles away.
A copy of the letter can be found here and below:
The Honorable Barbara M. Barrett
Secretary of the Air Force
1670 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-1670
General Joseph L. Lengyel
Chief of the National Guard Bureau
Jefferson Plaza 1
1411 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22202-3231
Dear Secretary Barrett and General Lengyel,
In 2018, the United States Air Force (USAF) published a candidate list of seventeen installations to be considered for the new Air National Guard (ANG) Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES), including Stewart Air National Guard Base (ANGB) in the Town of Newburgh, New York. Last month, we were pleased to hear that Steward ANGB was on a short list of finalists to be selected. We write once again to encourage you to select Stewart ANGB, given the base and wing’s unique combination of operational, manpower, capacity, location and cost advantages that make it the ideal location for the next AES unit.
Stewart ANGB currently possesses all the capabilities needed to support AES operations. The 105th Airlift Wing is co-located with a United States Marine Corps KC-130 squadron on the installation and since November 2010, has been the USAF’s “preferred” base to operate the C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, which provides vital global projection due to its Strategic Airlift capability. Additionally, Stewart ANGB is host to skilled and experienced personnel with more than six years of training with other AES units, although it is over 130 miles away from the nearest AES. Stewart ANGB is also placed in one of the best recruiting locations in New York State—we believe its ability to recruit trained medical professionals and flight crew candidates from the robust medical network in our communities make it the ideal potential home for the new AES.
Furthermore, Stewart ANGB is one of the largest ANG bases in the United States. The base employs more than 4,000 people and retains the necessary infrastructure to cost-efficiently, and expertly, conduct AES exercises.
For all of these reasons, we strongly encourage you to select Stewart ANGB for Air National Guard’s next Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. We appreciate your attention to this important matter and look forward to your response. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our offices with any questions.
Sincerely,
