Congressman Smith is leading bipartisan efforts to provide Army Reserve units, including A Company, 6-158th Aviation Regiment, at Ft. Lewis, with additional CH-47D "Chinook" helicopters. The CH-47D is built by Boeing and is used by both the U.S. Army and Army Reserve as a heavy lift aircraft for moving artillery, supplies and personnel on the battlefield. Besides these military missions, including recent operations in Haiti and Bosnia, the CH-47D is also ideally suited for civilian missions including flood relief and fire fighting because of its long range and heavy lift capability.

"The CH-47D is a real world workhorse for a real world military requirement," added Congressman Smith, who represents Ft. Lewis. Smith indicated he and twenty other Members of Congress are leading efforts to fund additional aircraft because the Chief of the U.S. Army Reserve, General Max Baratz, listed the CH-47D as his number one modernization priority. According to a report submitted to Congress last year by General Baratz, the CH-47D is "extremely important to the war fighter." Smith led the request, with 20 other members signing on. Washington state co-signers include Jack Metcalf, Doc Hastings, Jennifer Dunn, Norm Dicks, Linda Smith, Jim McDermott and George Nethercutt.

Ft. Lewis is home to one of just three Army Reserve "Chinook" units. Others are located in Kansas and Virginia.