[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 124 (Thursday, August 25, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 25, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 KENTUCKY NATIONAL AIR GUARD IN RWANDA

  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, in Congress we fight hard for something, 
hold hearings, debate on the floor, vote, and then move quickly on to 
other issues. Unfortunately, once the issue is off the front page of 
the paper, our constituents often don't hear about the impact of some 
of those decisions.
  This past year, I fought hard to maintain the number of C-130H 
transport aircraft at Louisville's 123d Airlift Wing of the Air 
National Guard.
  I did so because keeping the planes with the Air National Guard 
clearly was in the best interest of the Nation's national security and 
effectiveness in humanitarian missions.
  Soon after resolving this issue, the Kentucky Air National Guard was 
called to Rwanda on a humanitarian mission. These are the same planes 
and the same guards men and women who joined other Air National Guard 
units in Somalia and Bosnia.
  Mr. President, I believe the letter I received from Chief Russell D. 
Leadbetter of the Kentucky Air Guard, provides a simple, but 
straightforward, reassurance to the people of this country that we did 
the right thing in keeping the C-130's with the people most qualified 
to use them.
  I ask unanimous consent to submit for the Record the following letter 
from Chief Leadbetter, flight engineer and president of the Kentucky 
Enlisted Association.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:
                                                   August 9, 1994.
       Dear Senator Ford, You've worked very hard in behalf of the 
     enlisted and officers in the state of Kentucky. I know you're 
     a very busy man, but I thought perhaps you would like to hear 
     from one of your Kentucky crews in Rwanda flying the relief 
     mission.
       We're presently at 28,000 feet in altitude flying past 
     Kilimanjaro which is off our left wing. We left Mombasa, 
     Kenya early this morning (03:30) wakeup) and presently are on 
     our way to Nairobi, from there we fly food supplies to 
     Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. This run will be made by our 
     crew twice daily. The plane is purring and the crew (as 
     always) handling the job like the professionals they are.
       Because of your efforts, we and this aircraft are right now 
     doing the job the Government trained us to do. I am the 
     flight engineer on the plane and can truly tell you--where 
     there are problems in the world, there is, and always will 
     be, the National Guard. Whether the Air Guard performs 
     humanitarian aid or looks out for the interest of the United 
     States, you can rest assured the crews of Kentucky will be 
     there with the training and aircraft you helped us retain. . 
     . .  Rest assured we'll do you and your efforts proud.

                                  Chief Russell D. Leadbetter,

                                                  Flight Engineer,
     President, Kentucky Enlisted Asso.

                          ____________________