By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A St. Joseph leader went to the State Fair to stump for the 139th Airlift Wing.
St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce President, Natalie Hawn, worked the Governor’s Ham Breakfast at the State Fair, stumping for the 139th Airlift Wing to get updated C-130 cargo planes.
Hawn spoke with the Missourinet during an interview when she was in Sedalia. Hawn said the 139th needs the new “J” model planes, pointing out the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center at Rosecrans Memorial Airport trains pilots throughout the world on J model planes.
“We train the NATO nations in St. Joseph, Missouri on air tactical weapons training,” Hawn told the Missourinet. “The National Guard tends to get overlooked when it comes to important resources.”
Hawn is on the Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission and is part of the Air Mobility Command Leadership Academy, representing the 139th.
Hawn said the 139th needs an upgrade from its current fleet of C-130H cargo planes, reasoning modern planes are need for the Air Guard to respond to disasters.
“If we do, God forbid, go to war it does have that domestic impact as well and so your National Guard bases have to be ready,” Hawn said. “We love our Air Force. We support our Air Force, but we also have to make sure those National Guard bases are ready, because they’re the ones that are going to be here tomorrow if national disaster happens in Missouri. And we have to be ready and prepared for that. I don’t think we talk about that enough.”
The Air Guard has passed over the 139th in awarding C-130J model planes to other bases. Landing the J model is seen as vital for the longevity of the 139th at Rosecrans Memorial Airport.
When Missourinet asked Hawn why the Chamber of Commerce is so involved in attempting to lure the new planes to the Rosecrans base, Hawn pointed out the 139th isn’t just the fourth largest employer in St. Joseph, it provides vital services to businesses throughout the area, which she said became evidence during the COVID pandemic.
“They were able to support our large agriculture manufacturers in St. Joseph with COVID vaccines pretty immediately so we could continue to feed America,” Hawn responded. “So, I would argue that it is very much an economic development issue.”
Hawn is working with the Missouri Congressional delegation to upgrade the C-130 cargo planes at Rosecrans Memorial Airport.
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