In a letter addressed to President Barack Obama, Gov. John deJongh Jr. and 49 other governors of states, territories and commonwealths expressed opposition to "the potential cuts to the Army National Guard advocated by the U.S. Army’s fiscal 2015 budget request."

The National Governors Association sent the letter Friday.

Last month, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel unveiled a budget proposal that envisioned an American Army smaller than any since before World War II, although defense spending supporting the force will remain above Cold War levels because the tools of war have increased in cost. For instance, according to news reports, today’s “low-cost” warplane, the F-35, costs $160 million per copy, compared to its predecessor, the $20 million F-16.

The cost per troop jumped from $55,000 in 1998 to $80,000 by 2009. That means the nation is getting fewer troops and weapons for the $496 billion the Pentagon wants to spend next year.

According to news reports, the proposed reductions in military force include reducing troop levels in the Army from about 530,000 soldiers by about 20 percent to 440,000 over the next several years.

In their letter announced Sunday by Government House, the governors argued that for more than a decade the National Guard has been a cost-effective operational force that is critical to national security at home and abroad.

"Governors are extremely proud of the role that the National Guard plays in protecting this nation and its citizens," the letter said. "The modern National Guard is a highly experienced and capable combat force and an essential state partner in responding to domestic disasters and emergencies."

The governors said they understood the necessity of reorganizing, restructuring and modernizing the military to meet "new threats and economic realities." However, they felt that the cuts suggesting a strategic strength similar to the period prior to Sept. 11 would squander "the investment and value of the Guard and discredits its accomplishments at home and as an active combat force."

The governors reminded the president that they had mounted similar opposition to cuts planned for the Air National Guard two years ago. Congress chose not to implement those cuts, but instead established a National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force that recently concluded, according to the letter, "that the Guard is a cost-effective and invaluable force that should be a critical component of the total force structure."

In their appeal to the president, the governors suggested a similar review of the Army National Guard’s "future force structure and active and reserve component mix."

"We respectfully request that you reconsider proposed cuts to the Army National Guard and changes to the Guard’s combat aviation capabilities and that you work with us to fashion solutions that provide a scalable, cost-effective force that best serves the interests of our nation," the governors concluded.

In signing the letter, deJongh joined the governors of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.