81st Training Wing

81st Training Wing
Air Traffic Control training at Keesler AFB
Active	1948–1993; 1993–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Technical Training
Part of	Air Education and Training Command
Garrison/HQ	Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi
Equipment	see "Aerospace vehicles" section below
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Michele C. Edmondson
Vice-Commander	Colonel Dennis G. Scarborough
Command Chief	Chief Master Sergeant Harry L. Hutchinson
Insignia
81st Training Wing emblem (approved 14 May 1958)

The 81st Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. The 81st Training Wing has the Air Force’s largest Technical Training Group and trains more than 40,000 students annually. Training includes weather, basic electronics, communications electronic systems, communications computer systems, air traffic control, airfield management, command post, air weapons control, precision measurement, education and training, financial management and comptroller, information management, manpower and personnel, radar, ground radio, and network control.

The 81st Training Wing is an important link in the chain through Second Air Force established by Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. Our largest training mission is to take young men and women, many fresh from basic military training, and teach them skills to benefit the nation and the Air Force as well as our sister services and foreign countries.

Keesler also does advanced training for pilots in C-130 aircraft, and doctors, nurses, and technicians in medical specialties.

Established as 81st Fighter Wing on 15 April 1948 and activated on 1 May at Wheeler Air Force Base, Hawaii under the Hobson Plan. The 81st Wing commanded the functions of both the support groups as well as the flying combat 81st Fighter Group and the squadrons assigned to it.

The 81st Fighter Wing conducted air defense of Hawaii, December 1948 – May 1949 when operations at Wheeler were curtailed, the 81st being transferred to the Tactical Air Command Twelfth Air Force and being stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

The wing was attached to the Air Defense Command (ADC) Western Air Defense Force on 19 January 1950. Shortly afterwards, on 29 April, the 81st was reassigned to Moses Lake Air Force Base, Washington and transferred to ADC's Fourth Air Force, its mission changed from training for worldwide deployment under TAC to performing air defense of Eastern Washington, primarily the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.