Virgin Islands Air National Guard
Encyclopedia
The Virgin Islands Air National Guard is the component of the United States
Air National Guard
operating within United States Virgin Islands
.
The Virgin Islands Air National Guard was founded on the island of St. Croix
in February 1980, as the 285th Combat Communications Flight, a subordinate unit of the 226th Combat Communications Group
. The original authorized strength was one officer and 21 enlisted members. Original federal recognition came in May 1980 and is the official beginning of the Virgin Islands Air National Guard. The 285th grew quickly both in size and capability. Within 10 years of inception the unit had won the Air Force
Outstanding Unit Award
twice and was later awarded the award a third time. St Croix Air National Guard Station was opened in 1986 as the very first National Guard–owned facility in the Virgin Islands.
In 1989 when Hurricane Hugo
devastated the island of St Croix the 285th facility became the heart of the recovery effort and the 285th provided the first official communications off the Island to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
operating within United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
.
Units
- 285th Combat Communications Squadron285th Combat Communications SquadronThe United States Air Force's 285th Combat Communications Squadron is an Air National Guard combat communications unit located at St Croix ANGS.-History:...
The Virgin Islands Air National Guard was founded on the island of St. Croix
Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Croix is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Formerly the Danish West Indies, they were sold to the United States by Denmark in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies of...
in February 1980, as the 285th Combat Communications Flight, a subordinate unit of the 226th Combat Communications Group
226th Combat Communications Group
The United States Air Force's 226th Combat Communications Group is a combat communications unit located at Abston Air National Guard Station in Montgomery, Alabama, USA.-History:...
. The original authorized strength was one officer and 21 enlisted members. Original federal recognition came in May 1980 and is the official beginning of the Virgin Islands Air National Guard. The 285th grew quickly both in size and capability. Within 10 years of inception the unit had won the 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...
Outstanding Unit Award
Outstanding Unit Award
The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is an award of the United States Air Force which was first created in 1954. The award is presented as a ribbon to any command of the U.S...
twice and was later awarded the award a third time. St Croix Air National Guard Station was opened in 1986 as the very first National Guard–owned facility in the Virgin Islands.
In 1989 when Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
devastated the island of St Croix the 285th facility became the heart of the recovery effort and the 285th provided the first official communications off the Island to the U.S.