Letter to the Hon. Barbara Barrett, Secretary of the Air Force, and Lieutenant General Scott Rice, Commanding Officer in the Air National Guard - Schumer, Gillibrand, Maloney double down on push to make Stewart Air National Guard base site of new aeromedical evacuation squadron, bringing new jobs, funding & missions to Orange County

Letter

Dear Secretary Barrett and Lieutenant General Rice:

As the United States Air Force (USAF) evaluates the results of the recent on-site and virtual surveys of Stewart Air National Guard Base (ANGB) in New York, along with six other Air National Guard sites under consideration to be selected as the host for a new Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES), we write to underscore the compelling reasons why Stewart ANGB, home of the 105th Airlift Wing (AW) remains the optimal location for establishment of this AES.

The operational value of these assets has been evident during the New York National Guard's ongoing response to the COVID19 pandemic. Medical and logistics personnel from the 105th AW continue to respond admirably in support of the COVID-19 response, as they did in 2001 as part of the 9/11/01 initial response base of operations following the attack against our nation on September 11, 2001. Stewart ANGB and the 105th have been leveraging their prior years of experience to address medical requirements on a scale not experienced in this country in more than 100 years, setting up mobile testing sites, performing thousands of COVID-19 tests, and expanding intensive care unit (ICU) capacity at medical treatment centers.

Located just north of the New York City metropolitan area (and the Pentagon's most prolific Recruiting Battalion in the US), the 105th AW from Stewart has consistently met or exceeded its manning requirements overall; and in particular to meet medical staffing requirements (doctors, registered nurses, and medical technicians). They, along with the 106th Rescue Wing on Long Island, represent the finest the National Guard can provide in terms of medical personnel and capabilities to meet AES and Defense Support to Civil Authorities in times of emergency and medical crises as is being experienced in America today.

From a mission perspective, the 105th AW operates and sustains nine C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to meet AES requirements. Additionally, due to their Strategic Airlift mission, the 105th has the necessary aircraft transport equipment to effectively deploy an AES unit.

From the perspective of the capacity criteria for assigning a new AES, Stewart ANGB has an on-site pharmacy. At 267 acres, Stewart is one of the largest Air National Guard bases in the country, with more than just the essential facilities needed to support operational, training, and equipment storage duties.

For these reasons, it is our belief that Stewart ANGB is the optimal site in your selection process given mission projection assets, sustained & medically skilled staff, proximity to one of the largest recruiting basins in the United States, and an installation with advanced facilities and necessary capacity consistent with your scoring criteria.

We look forward to your selection decision later this summer, and are confident that you will confirm that the 105th is eminently capable to perform the AES mission and that Stewart ANGB is the site which provides all the capabilities you need to host the next Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron.

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