Stefanik, Colleagues Demand the Secretary of the Air Force Reevaluate Decision to Remove Air Force Special Operators from Fort Drum

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Elise Stefanik led a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall opposing the United States Air Force's (USAF) recent decision to reduce and consolidate the Active-Duty Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) enterprise. The USAF has decided to begin rapid consolidation of TACPs from their current basing at eight installations, including Fort Drum, to two installations. Removing these air support operations squadrons will critically impact the Air Force's ability to organically integrate their tactical command and control of close air support with the 10th Mountain Division.

In the letter the lawmakers state, "The Army 2030 force structure is designed to highlight the importance of the "division as the tactical unit of action…where decisive maneuver is executed." Your decision to consolidate and realign TACPs will remove organic air support capabilities from the division and place them at the corps level. This will significantly degrade the ability of Army divisions to integrate close air support into their training cycles and will result in decreased readiness. Army divisions at Fort Drum, NY, Fort Bliss, TX, Fort Riley, KS, Fort Carson, CO, Fort Stewart, GA, and Fort Campbell, KY, each have unique institutional relationships with their ASOS units. Furthermore, any soldier who has been in a "danger close" engagement and has trusted a TACP operator to call in effective fires will attest to the mutual trust they develop through close integration. Breaking these relationships will create a gap in expertise at the expense of the warfighter and will force division commanders to assume greater risk across all domains."

"As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and the representative for Fort Drum, I strongly oppose the U.S. Air Force's decision to remove Air Force special operators from Fort Drum. This rushed decision will jeopardize our Servicemembers' safety and negatively impact our nation's military readiness," stated Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. "TACPs are an invaluable resource to the 10th Mountain Division and continuing to base these squadrons at Fort Drum will enable both TACPs and the 10th Mountain Division to maintain the necessary trust and proficiency required to execute short-notice global missions that are critical to our national security."

"In a time where we are deploying forces to multiple theaters of conflict and actively working to deter conflict in the Pacific, we cannot afford to degrade the ease and strength in which our Tactical Air Control Party enterprise operates," said Congressman Doug Lamborn. "As Chairman of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, I urge the Secretary of the Air Force to reconsider this decision and continue to support our warfighters on the ground and division commanders."

The lawmakers are demanding further information on the Air Force's efforts to consult the U.S. Army on the impact that this decision will have on capabilities within divisions at Ft Drum, NY; Ft Bliss, TX; Ft Riley, KS; Ft Carson, CO; Ft Stewart, GA; and Ft Campbell, KY.

Stefanik was joined by Representatives Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Buddy Carter (R-GA), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), James Comer (R-KY), and Tracey Mann (R-KS).

Find the full letter HERE.

Permalink: https://stefanik.house.gov/2023/11/stefanik-colleagues-demand-the-secretary-of-the-air-force-to-reevaluate-decision-to-remove-air-force-special-operators-from-fort-drum