1Urging the United States Army to allow Apache helicopters to
2remain in the National Guard.

3WHEREAS, The Department of Defense released details of a plan
4that would remove all Apache helicopters from the National Guard
5to the Army and replace half of the Apaches with Black Hawk
6helicopters; and

7WHEREAS, In Pennsylvania, the National Guard 104th Attack
8Reconnaissance Battalion would lose 16 Apaches at Johnstown and
98 at Fort Indiantown Gap; and

10WHEREAS, The Apaches would be replaced with a total of eight
11to ten Black Hawks at the military bases; and

12WHEREAS, Removing the helicopters would result in reducing
13personnel at the installations from 450 to 100 soldiers; and

14WHEREAS, The Commander of the Pennsylvania National Guard,
15Major General Wesley Craig, stated that removing the helicopters

1and reducing troop levels are not in the best interests of the
2Pennsylvania National Guard; and

3WHEREAS, Specifically, General Craig stated that the changes
4will "have a huge negative impact on the National Guard and on
5our capability here in Pennsylvania"; and

6WHEREAS, The National Guard estimates that dozens of part-
7time and full-time jobs will be lost in this Commonwealth as a
8result of the Army's plan to remove the Apaches; and

9WHEREAS, Once the Apaches are removed, all of the support
10vehicles that work with the aircraft will also be transferred
11elsewhere; and

12WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania National Guard uses all of its
13ground equipment whenever there is a domestic emergency such as
14Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee; and

15WHEREAS, General Craig pointed out that the loss of the
16equipment "will have a negative impact on our ability in
17Pennsylvania to respond to an emergency here in the State";
18therefore be it

19RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the United
20States Army to allow Apache helicopters to remain in the
21National Guard.