WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Vt Air Guard hopes F-35 could help stave off cuts

Vt Air Guard hopes F-35 could help stave off cuts

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By Molly Smith - bio | email
COLCHESTER, Vt. -

The Pentagon is preparing for massive budget cuts that could ripple through the Vermont National Guard.

But the Vermont Air Guard hopes their efforts to secure the next generation fighter jets will help them stave off the cuts.

Vermont is still in the running to receive F-35 fighter jets to replace their F-16s, and Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie hopes that gains from that program would compensate for any potential job losses coming down the line in this round of cuts.

"If they have to close some units and we are proposed to have the follow on airplane it would make sense to keep Vermont flying until we get that follow on airplane," Dubie said.

Watch the video of Molly Smith's interview with Maj. Gen. Dubie for much more on the impact of potential budget cuts on Vermont guardsmen and women, and what role he sees these citizen soldiers playing in the postwar era.

Dubie says the numbers for potential job cuts in Vermont are expected to be in by early March and hearings about the F-35 fighter jets are ongoing.

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