Schenectady County, N.Y. — Schenectady County officials today thanked the New York State Congressional Delegation and State officials for supporting an amendment to the fiscal 2013 Defense Authorization Bill that was approved by the House Armed Services Committee. The amendment blocks the relocation or retirement of C-130 aircraft. The measure, if adopted as part of the final Defense Authorization Act, would prevent the relocation of four C-130 aircraft at the Stratton Air National Guard Base in Glenville.
“The Stratton Air Guard Base performs key military and scientific missions in a very cost competitive way,” said Marty Finn, Chairman of the County Legislature’s Committee on Economic Development. “This measure keeps these C-130’s right where they belong in Glenville. Moving four of the fourteen aircraft stationed here made no sense. We are grateful to Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, Congressman Tonko and the New York State Base Task Force led by Governor Cuomo and Lt. Governor Duffy for their efforts to keep military missions and jobs in Schenectady County.”
The Stratton Air National Guard Base is the home to the 109th Airlift Wing plus several other military units. The base employs almost 1,400 with an annual economic impact of $123 million.