By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Local, state and federal leaders joined citizens Monday evening to celebrate their win to keep the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station open. But now talked is aimed at making the base stronger than ever.
The 914th Airlift Wing and the 107th Air Refueling unit will stay at the Falls base. It was reason for politicians and a few hundred citizens to gather together to celebrate a victory for the region. Governor George Pataki thanked the community for its incredible show of support for the base.
"More than 130,000 of you signed letters, more than any place in America," Pataki said. "You were out in droves, letting America know that this community supports this base."
But Pataki says even though the base will remain, work must continue to bring new Air Force missions to Niagara Falls that will strengthen the base. The Base Realignment and Closure Commission did vote to remove the strato-tankers from the 107th. That unit will train and partner with the 914th and work with the C-130 aircraft.
US Senator Charles Schumer says he believes it will help the base grow.
"We are going to make sure that people hear of our victory," Schumer said. "We are going to take this message from one end of the country to the other and say, 'don't neglect Western New York. Start paying attention and come here.'"
The Niagara Falls Military Affairs Council says it will continue to encourage new facilities at the base as well upgrades to make it more efficient and ensure its future. The decision to keep the base preserves about 2,900 jobs.
The entire BRAC recommendations will now be forwarded to President and then Congress for final approval.