February 29, 2012

Manchin, Guard Commanders Discuss How to Limit Reliance on Expensive Contractors

**Photo Available**

Washington, D.C. – At a breakfast for the National Guard Caucus this morning, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) joined West Virginia’s Adjutant General for the National Guard James A. Hoyer and Lieutenant General Wyatt, director of the Air National Guard, to discuss how the Guard can help the Defense Department run more efficiently and reduce the country’s reliance on expensive contractors. 

“It is a true honor any time I get to sit down with the leaders of West Virginia’s National Guard, but today was an opportunity to discuss their commitment to take a leading role in reining in our spending while at the same time making sure that we have the strongest and best military in the world,” Senator Manchin said. “Time and again, our Guard members have proven that they can excel at any task – especially tasks that are currently being done by overpriced contractors. For example, using National Guard maintenance shops in West Virginia is saving the Defense Department $27 million this year alone. If we increased the workload at our Guard facilities, we would save the Defense Department almost $250 million. To me, that just makes common sense – and it’s just one small example of the savings the Guard can provide. We all need to work together to determine how best to use our Guard as we move forward, and today’s breakfast helped us build new ideas and momentum for this commonsense approach to running the best military in the world.”

Senator Manchin is a member of both the Senate National Guard Caucus and the Senate Armed Services Committee, and strongly supported the National Guard’s recent elevation to the highest levels of the nation’s military, a voice on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Last week, Senator Manchin attended an event at the West Virginia National Guard’s Center for National Response training area, a tunnel that is used to prepare military personnel and first responders to respond to – and prevent – attacks on American soil. 

Caption: Senator Manchin speaks with Lieutenant General Wyatt, director of the Air National Guard (left).