COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The head of the Colorado National Guard said the relationship between its leaders and Army brass is broken, and the two sides are not talking to each other because of a budget dispute.

"The relationship is not good and it is sad," said Maj. Gen. H. Michael Edwards, an Air Force officer who reports to Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper rather than the Pentagon.

Officials say tensions are high over Army proposals to strip the Guard of attack helicopters and shave the Army Guard's ranks by 8,000 troops to save cash.

Edwards said Army leaders did not even show up at a gathering of top National Guard commanders in Washington this month.

Because they report to governors rather than the Pentagon, Guard commanders across the nation can speak for their states when it comes to budget and military issues.

Army chief of staff Gen. Ray Odierno has proposed cutting Guard ranks by 8,000 soldiers and continues pushing the plan to pull AH-64 Apache attack helicopters from National Guard fleets to beef up the active-duty's aviation arsenal.

The National Guard has fired up its powerful 50-state lobbying efforts to defeat the cuts. While the helicopter move was proposed last year, political roadblocks have stymied its implementation, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported Sunday.

Edwards said the Army has ceased speaking to the National Guard.

"Even when you are not getting along, you have got to talk," Edwards said.

A spokesman for the U.S. Army could not be located for comment.

The Pentagon budget cuts were ordered in the 2011 sequestration plan approved by Congress. With the military cutting spending by up to $50 billion a year, service leaders have worked to fight the cuts and to influence how the cuts are handled.

Guard advocates are pushing for the Army to handle downsizing by giving more troops, equipment and responsibility to the Guard. They argue that Guard troops have proved their worth in Iraq and Afghanistan and are cheaper to keep in the ranks than active duty troops.

The Army is wary of counting on Guard troops for combat duty because Guard units generally require at least 90 days of training to be considered battle-ready.

Edwards said most wars start slowly, giving time for the Guard to get ready.

The Guard's relationship with the rest of the Pentagon is less frosty.

Edwards said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh is cordial with Guard generals, and Air Force budget plans would boost the Guard and the Reserve as active-duty airmen are cut.

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