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Commentary: Navy Growlers' training flights vital to safety

The Daily Herald - 8/4/2019

By Keith Wagoner

For The Herald

As a 23-year Navy veteran and helicopter pilot, I want to applaud stat Sen. Barbara Bailey's defense of the U.S. Navy's right and obligation to train Growler pilots at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island ("Bob Ferguson's war a threat to Whidbey's Navy base," The Herald, July 21).

My legislative district borders Sen. Bailey's. When we see Growlers overhead, we observe them with awe and pride. And while the naval air station certainly creates economic benefits to the community, the real issues here are safety and national defense capabilities.

The Growler is the only tactical jamming aircraft in the entire U.S. inventory, and they are only stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. There is no substitute or replacement aircraft in our near future.

At nearly $70 million an aircraft, the EA-18's Growler technology is the envy of the world, but flying them safely and effectively requires constant proficiency training. Landing tactical aircraft aboard a carrier is challenging under the best of conditions. Coming aboard at night in limited visibility and high seas is terrifying and potentially lethal.

As long as we have military pilots risking their lives in the air and during landings at sea, there will be deaths. I have lost more than my share of classmates and friends to aircraft "mishaps" as we euphemistically call them in the military.

My best friend and Annapolis classmate is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery because of such an accident.

Reasonable people understand that we owe our flyers and their families the best equipment and training our country can muster. That is what our state and the leadership at NAS Whidbey have been providing since 1942. Our foreign military competitors must be incredulous to witness political leaders attempting to score political points under pretenses of saving a small bird. In the meantime, the proposal recklessly curtails our own military prowess.

Most of your legislators in Olympia understand and applaud the sacrifices pilots, maintainers, support personnel and their families make in the performance of their duties. This is not a party issue; this is an issue for Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

The attorney general appears to put political ambition and pandering ahead of Navy communities, Navy families, national security and common sense. He is playing to eco-elitists with deep pockets who have redefined not-in-my-background beliefs by moving their backyards to communities that annoy their sensibilities, and then complaining.

Whidbey Island's natural beauty is alluring, but residents both old and new should understand that it is also home to one of our most important national assets. And that asset makes some noise.

State Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, represents the 39th Legislative District.