916th Air Refueling Wing
Encyclopedia
The 916th Air Refueling Wing (916 ARW) is a wing
of the United States Air Force
based out of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
, North Carolina
. It is an Air Force Reserve Command
(AFRC) unit operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command
(AMC).
forces worldwide. It has supported missions included military airlifts to South Vietnam
beginning in 1965 and to U.S. forces in the Dominican Republic
during a 1965 crisis. It also participated in numerous humanitarian
airlift
missions.
Since October 1986 it has flown air mobility operational and training missions within and beyond the United States. It refueled aircraft and airlifted passengers and cargo for various training exercises
and contingency and humanitarian operations
around the world.
916th Operations Group (916 OG)
916th Maintenance Group (916 MXG)
916th Mission Support Group (916 MSG)
916th Aerospace Medical Squadron (916 AMDS)
Wing (air force unit)
Wing is a term used by different military aviation forces for a unit of command. The terms wing, group or Staffel are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another....
of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
based out of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located to the southeast of Goldsboro, North Carolina. The base is named for Navy test pilot Seymour Johnson, a native of Goldsboro...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It is an Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
(AFRC) unit operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC).
History
As a reserve unit, the 916th conducted air and ground training activities, airlifting personnel and cargo in support of active dutyActive duty
Active duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's...
forces worldwide. It has supported missions included military airlifts to South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
beginning in 1965 and to U.S. forces in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
during a 1965 crisis. It also participated in numerous humanitarian
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
airlift
Airlift
Airlift is the act of transporting people or cargo from point to point using aircraft.Airlift may also refer to:*Airlift , a suction device for moving sand and silt underwater-See also:...
missions.
Since October 1986 it has flown air mobility operational and training missions within and beyond the United States. It refueled aircraft and airlifted passengers and cargo for various training exercises
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
and contingency and humanitarian operations
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
around the world.
Previous designations
- 916th Troop Carrier Group (1962–1965)
- 916th Air Transport Group (1965–1966)
- 916th Military Airlift Group (1966–1986)
- 916th Air Refueling Group (1986–1994)
- 916th Air Refueling Wing (1994 – Present)
Major command
- Continental Air CommandContinental Air CommandContinental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
(1963) - Air Force Reserve CommandAir Force Reserve CommandThe Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
(1994 – Present)
Numbered Air Force
- Twenty-Second Air ForceTwenty-Second Air ForceTwenty-Second Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of Air Force Reserve Command . It was activated on 1 July 1993 and is headquartered at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia....
(1994–1997) - Fourth Air ForceFourth Air ForceThe Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
(1997 – Present)
Wing
- 435th Troop Carrier Wing435th Air Base WingThe 435th Air Ground Operations Wing is an active unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. It is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.The current commander is Colonel John S. Shapland, USAF....
(1963) - 442d Troop Carrier Wing442d Fighter WingThe 442d Fighter Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command fighter wing, operationally-gained by Air Combat Command . It is based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri...
(1963–1965) - 512th Airlift Wing512th Airlift WingThe 512th Airlift Wing, an associate C-5 Galaxy Air Force Reserve unit is located at Dover AFB, Delaware. The 512 AW helps maintain, repair and flies the same aircraft as its active duty counterparts...
(1965–1971) - 433d Tactical Airlift Wing433d Airlift WingThe 433d Airlift Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force Reserve assigned to Fourth Air Force. It is stationed at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas...
(1971–1972) - 452d Air Refueling Wing452d Air Mobility WingThe 452d Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force air mobility unit located at March ARB, California. It is assigned to Air Force Reserve Command , and is operationally gained by Air Mobility Command .-Mission:...
(1986–1987) - 434th Air Refueling Wing434th Air Refueling WingThe 434th Air Refueling Wing, is one of the key refueling units in the Air Force Reserve. The wing provides mid-air refueling with Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers to long-range bombers, fighters, and cargo aircraft....
(1987–1994)
Subordinate organizations
- 77th Air Refueling Squadron77th Air Refueling SquadronThe 77th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 916th Air Refueling Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(77 ARS) - 916th Operations Support Flight (916 OSF)
916th Maintenance Group (916 MXG)
- 916th Maintenance Squadron (916 MXS)
- 916th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (916 AMXS)
- 916th Maintenance Operations Flight (916 MOF)
- 911th Air Refueling Squadron (911 ARS) (Active Duty)
916th Mission Support Group (916 MSG)
- 916th Civil Engineer Flight (916 CEF)
- 916th Logistics Readiness Squadron (916 LRS)
- 916th Security Forces Squadron (916 SFS)
- 716th Communications Flight (716 CF)
- 916th Communications Flight (916 CF)
- 916th Mission Support Flight (916 MSF)
- 916th Services Flight (916 SVF)
916th Aerospace Medical Squadron (916 AMDS)
Bases stationed
- Donaldson Air Force BaseDonaldson Air Force BaseDonaldson Air Force Base is a closed facility of the United States Air Force. Currently known as Donaldson Center, the former Air Force Base is located south of Greenville, South Carolina....
, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(1963) - Carswell Air Force BaseCarswell Air Force BaseCarswell Air Force Base, was a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base located about northwest central of Fort Worth, Texas, United States; the air force base is mostly within the Fort Worth city limits and has portions within Westworth and White Settlement...
, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(1963–1972) - Seymour Johnson Air Force BaseSeymour Johnson Air Force BaseSeymour Johnson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located to the southeast of Goldsboro, North Carolina. The base is named for Navy test pilot Seymour Johnson, a native of Goldsboro...
, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
(1986 – Present)
Aircraft operated
- C-124 Globemaster IIC-124 Globemaster IIThe Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shakey", was a heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California....
(1963–1972) - KC-10 ExtenderKC-10 ExtenderThe McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is the military adaptation of the three-engined DC-10 airliner for the United States Air Force . The KC-10 incorporates military-specific equipment for its primary roles of transport and aerial refueling. It was developed to supplement the KC-135 Stratotanker...
(1986–1995) - KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
(1995 – Present)