Aircraft Maintenance Facilities Fail to Meet Current Standards for Safety, Health
(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo sponsored to push for the expansion of inadequate and undersized facilities used by the New Jersey Air National Guard was approved 69-0-2 Thursday by the Assembly.
The resolution (AR-158) urges Congress to authorize $10.2 million in proposed spending for a military construction project to combine and replace facilities at the 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard.
“Keeping the 177th open and running on the most advanced technology our armed forces offer is vital not only for our national security but for the economic security of Atlantic County and its residents,” said Mazzeo (D-Atlantic). “More importantly, we’re putting the safety and security of our Guard members on the forefront.”
Mazzeo added, “I’ve met personally with the commanders of the New Jersey National Guard, and I’ve heard and seen firsthand how the aircraft maintenance facilities the 177th Fighter Wing uses now are inadequate and undersized. Considering the limitations this puts on New Jersey’s F-16 air fleet and the safety and health risks these deficiencies present, I strongly urge Congress to move forward in authorizing the proposed spending for this project.”
The project would incorporate sustainability concepts to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impact, said Mazzeo.
The 177th Fighter Wing has been located at Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor Township since 1958. It has had active involvement in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and is one of the leading air defense stations on the East Coast.