Wisconsin Air National Guard
Encyclopedia
The Wisconsin Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state
of Wisconsin
. It is, along with the Wisconsin Army National Guard, an element of the Wisconsin National Guard
. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force
, as well as of the state.
in time of war or national emergency. The Wisconsin Air National Guard's state mission is to help civil authorities protect life and property and preserve peace, order, and public safety in times of natural or human-caused emergencies. The governor, who is the commander in chief of the Guard when it is not activated for federal service, appoints the adjutant general who directs the of which the The Wisconsin Air National Guard is a part. The adjutant general (chief of staff), of The Wisconsin Air National Guard, is held by a Major General. This individual is responsible for both the federal and state missions of the Wisconsin Army, Air National Guard and the Wisconsin Division of Emergency Management. Members of The Wisconsin Air National Guard are typically part-time soldiers and airmen who attend unit drills one weekend per month and serve a two-week annual tour of active duty. All officers and enlisted personnel must meet the same physical, education, and other eligibility requirements as members of the active-duty services.
Guard members continue the legacy of the “Minutemen” of the American Revolution—citizen-soldiers trained and ready to put their peacetime pursuits on hold when called upon to serve their state or nation. Guard members have been activated on numerous other occasions, including for the Berlin Crisis
the Persian Gulf War
, peacekeeping operations in the Balkans
, and current operations in Afghanistan
and Iraq.
at Truax Field
in Madison, the 128th Air Refueling Wing
at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport
, and the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center at Camp Douglas.
The 115th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard
fighter unit flying F-16 aircraft from Truax Field
at the Dane County Regional Airport
, on the northeast side of Madison, Wisconsin
.
On 1 July 1976, 13 Air Guard refueling units were placed into the Strategic Air Command. This was the first time the massive bomber command integrated part-time units into its forces and mission. SAC also announced that Air Guard refueling units would begin to integrate a new craft into their inventories: a military version of the Boeing 707 airliner named the KC-135.
On 4 October 1976 the 128th completed its first mission under SAC. In January 1979 the unit began the 24 hour a day SAC alert commitment. This commitment would be maintained for the next 12 years until President George H. W. Bush ended the SAC Alert Force in 1991. In 1983 the unit was involved in the first Pacific Tanker Task Force, with flights to Guam, Korea and Australia. Spring of 1984 brought a very large “first”. The unit participated in Coronet Giant, an exercise which entailed a direct flight from the United States to West Germany by 12 , A-10 Thunderbolt II attack fighters, refueling along the way by three KC-135s from the 128th. The route spanned 3600 miles, and was the largest mission of this type ever undertaken by a guard force. A deployment to Wake Island was accomplished between 25 March and 3 April 1986 by aircraft and 130 personnel. A total of eight air refueling sorties were flown from Wake Island, with 458,000 pounds of fuel being off-loaded. Early spring of 1987 saw another significant accomplishment by the 128th. On 21 March one of our unit aircraft departed Fargo, North Dakota, with 40 civilian VIP’s on board the destination: Tempelhof Airport, West Berlin, Germany. This was the first ever sanctioned Air National Guard civilian flight outside the Continental United States, and was also the first KC-135 authorized into West Berlin. A chain of events which had a spectacular effect upon the “day-to-day” operations of the 128th began in August 1990. On 2 August 1990 Saddam Hussein’s Iraq army invaded and occupied tiny oil-rich Kuwait. On 7 August unit aircraft and volunteer personnel deployed to a forward operating base in support of Desert Shield; the defense of Saudi Arabia . As time passed the crisis went unresolved and in fact became more acute: Desert Storm. On 28 December 1990 the 128th received orders for a partial activation. All aircraft and aircrews and a number of support personnel were dispatched to the newest forward operating base at Cairo, Egypt on 27–29 December 1990. They became the basis for the 1706th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional). Other unit personnel were mobilized for use as stateside “backfill” (replacing troops sent forward ) or sent to overseas destinations.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. It is, along with the Wisconsin Army National Guard, an element of the Wisconsin National Guard
Wisconsin National Guard
The Wisconsin Army National Guard has dual state and federal roles, and is jointly funded and maintained by both governments. Its federal mission is to provide trained units to the United States Army in time of war or national emergency...
. It is considered a part 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...
, as well as of the state.
Overview
The Wisconsin Air National Guard has dual state and federal roles, and is jointly funded and maintained by both governments. Its federal mission is to provide trained units to the Air ForceUnited 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...
in time of war or national emergency. The Wisconsin Air National Guard's state mission is to help civil authorities protect life and property and preserve peace, order, and public safety in times of natural or human-caused emergencies. The governor, who is the commander in chief of the Guard when it is not activated for federal service, appoints the adjutant general who directs the of which the The Wisconsin Air National Guard is a part. The adjutant general (chief of staff), of The Wisconsin Air National Guard, is held by a Major General. This individual is responsible for both the federal and state missions of the Wisconsin Army, Air National Guard and the Wisconsin Division of Emergency Management. Members of The Wisconsin Air National Guard are typically part-time soldiers and airmen who attend unit drills one weekend per month and serve a two-week annual tour of active duty. All officers and enlisted personnel must meet the same physical, education, and other eligibility requirements as members of the active-duty services.
History
A Waukesha, Wisconsin native, Major General (MG) Collins H. Ferris became the first Chief of Staff of the Wisconsin Air National Guard with an 18 year tenure. He retired in 1970 after 30 years of military service. For his work as the first Chief of Staff, MG Collins H. Ferris can justifiably be called the "father" of the Wisconsin Air National Guard.Guard members continue the legacy of the “Minutemen” of the American Revolution—citizen-soldiers trained and ready to put their peacetime pursuits on hold when called upon to serve their state or nation. Guard members have been activated on numerous other occasions, including for the Berlin Crisis
Berlin Crisis
Berlin Crisis may refer to*the Berlin Blockade of 1948-1949*the Berlin Crisis of 1961*the Australian alternative band, see Berlin Crisis...
the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, peacekeeping operations in the Balkans
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
, and current operations in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
and Iraq.
Units
Most of the approximately 2,200 Air Guard airmen belong to three major units: the 115th Fighter Wing115th Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force's 115th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at Truax Field, Wisconsin.-Mission:The 115th Fighter Wing provides multi-role fighter support including air-to-air, close air support and precision guided bombing...
at Truax Field
Dane County Regional Airport
-Statistics:-External links:* Dane County Regional Airport: * Wisconsin Airport Directory: * * - Listen live to Madison's Air Traffic Control...
in Madison, the 128th Air Refueling Wing
128th Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 128th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Mobility Command located at General Mitchell International Airport, Wisconsin...
at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport
General Mitchell International Airport
General Mitchell International Airport is a county-owned public airport located five miles south of the central business district of Milwaukee, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States....
, and the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center at Camp Douglas.
115th Fighter Wing
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...
fighter unit flying F-16 aircraft from Truax Field
Dane County Regional Airport
-Statistics:-External links:* Dane County Regional Airport: * Wisconsin Airport Directory: * * - Listen live to Madison's Air Traffic Control...
at the Dane County Regional Airport
Dane County Regional Airport
-Statistics:-External links:* Dane County Regional Airport: * Wisconsin Airport Directory: * * - Listen live to Madison's Air Traffic Control...
, on the northeast side of Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
.
128th Air Refueling Wing
- Assigned to Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
on: 1 July 1976 - At: General Billy Mitchell ANG Base
- Equipment: KC-97Ls
- Changed equipment in: 1977 to KC-135A
- Changed equipment in: 1982 to KC-135E
- Changed equipment in: 1991 to KC-135R
- Reassigned to: Air Mobility Command, Fifteenth Air Force on 31 May 1992.
On 1 July 1976, 13 Air Guard refueling units were placed into the Strategic Air Command. This was the first time the massive bomber command integrated part-time units into its forces and mission. SAC also announced that Air Guard refueling units would begin to integrate a new craft into their inventories: a military version of the Boeing 707 airliner named the KC-135.
On 4 October 1976 the 128th completed its first mission under SAC. In January 1979 the unit began the 24 hour a day SAC alert commitment. This commitment would be maintained for the next 12 years until President George H. W. Bush ended the SAC Alert Force in 1991. In 1983 the unit was involved in the first Pacific Tanker Task Force, with flights to Guam, Korea and Australia. Spring of 1984 brought a very large “first”. The unit participated in Coronet Giant, an exercise which entailed a direct flight from the United States to West Germany by 12 , A-10 Thunderbolt II attack fighters, refueling along the way by three KC-135s from the 128th. The route spanned 3600 miles, and was the largest mission of this type ever undertaken by a guard force. A deployment to Wake Island was accomplished between 25 March and 3 April 1986 by aircraft and 130 personnel. A total of eight air refueling sorties were flown from Wake Island, with 458,000 pounds of fuel being off-loaded. Early spring of 1987 saw another significant accomplishment by the 128th. On 21 March one of our unit aircraft departed Fargo, North Dakota, with 40 civilian VIP’s on board the destination: Tempelhof Airport, West Berlin, Germany. This was the first ever sanctioned Air National Guard civilian flight outside the Continental United States, and was also the first KC-135 authorized into West Berlin. A chain of events which had a spectacular effect upon the “day-to-day” operations of the 128th began in August 1990. On 2 August 1990 Saddam Hussein’s Iraq army invaded and occupied tiny oil-rich Kuwait. On 7 August unit aircraft and volunteer personnel deployed to a forward operating base in support of Desert Shield; the defense of Saudi Arabia . As time passed the crisis went unresolved and in fact became more acute: Desert Storm. On 28 December 1990 the 128th received orders for a partial activation. All aircraft and aircrews and a number of support personnel were dispatched to the newest forward operating base at Cairo, Egypt on 27–29 December 1990. They became the basis for the 1706th Air Refueling Wing (Provisional). Other unit personnel were mobilized for use as stateside “backfill” (replacing troops sent forward ) or sent to overseas destinations.
External links
- Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame
- Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs
- Wisconsin Air National Guard
- 115th Fighter Wing
- 128th Air Refueling Wing
- 128th Air Control Squadron
- Combat Readiness Training Center
- Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center
- Bibliography at the United States Army Center of Military History