189th Airlift Wing

189th Airlift Wing
A 189th Airlift Wing C-130 cargo plane flies over the state capitol in Little Rock, Arkansas
Active	1962 – present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Arkansas
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Training/Worldwide Airlift
Part of	Arkansas Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas
Motto(s)	Ducimus "We Lead"
Tail Code	Red tail stripe "The Rock" in white
Insignia
189th Airlift Wing emblem

The 189th Airlift Wing (189 AW) is a unit of the Arkansas Air National Guard, stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. If activated to federal service, it is gained by the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command.

The 154th Training Squadron, assigned to the Wings 189th Operations Group, is a descendant organization of the World War I 154th Aero Squadron, established on 8 December 1917. It was reformed on 24 October 1925, as the 154th Observation Squadron, and is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.

The 189th provides aircrew training for the C-130 for all branches of the military. The unit operates the C-130 Tactical Airlift Instructor School, where aircrew instructors are trained to they can return to their units and keep members combat ready. The wing also operates the Air National Guard Enlisted Aircrew Academic School, which provides entry-level training for C-130 loadmasters before they are sent to the 314th Airlift Wing for mission qualification training. The school also provides entry-level flight engineer training.

Established in 1962 when the Arkansas ANG 154th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was expanded to a Group when elements of the 123d Air Base Group were added.

In June 1965, the group became the first Air National Guard organization to be equipped with RF-101 aircraft. As a result of the Pueblo Crises, the 189th was recalled to active duty in January 1968. In July of that year, the 154th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (augmented) deployed from Little Rock AFB to Itazuke, Japan.

On 1 January 1976, the unit was designated as the 189th Air Refueling Group, Arkansas Air National Guard, and converted to a KC-135 air-to-air refueling mission, and became one of the first Air National Guard units to be assigned to the Strategic Air Command as a gaining command.

As an integral part of SAC under "Total Force," the 189th ARG maintained an around-the-clock ALPHA Alert, participated in European, Alaskan and Pacific Tanker Task Forces, and supported worldwide temporary tanker task forces performing in-flight refueling of all types of aircraft as assigned by the Strategic Air Command.