916th Air Refueling Wing
916th Air Refueling Wing
 |
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Active | 1963—1972; – 1986 – present |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Branch |
 United States Air Force
|
| Type | Wing |
| Role | Air Refueling |
| Part of | Air Force Reserve Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina |
| Motto(s) | Maximo Conato Latin By the Utmost Effort (1963-1972) |
| Decorations |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Stephen Linsenmeyer |
| Insignia | |
| 916th Air Refueling Wing emblem (approved 4 May 1964) |  |
| Tail stripe | Green, "First in Flight" in yellow |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Tanker | Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker |
The 916th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Fourth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. If mobilized, the Wing is gained by the Air Mobility Command.
The wing is scheduled to start flying the KC-46A Pegasus starting in 2019.
Fly the KC-135R Statotanker in air-to-air refueling and other air mobility missions.
During the first half of 1955, the Air Force began detaching Air Force Reserve squadrons from their parent wing locations to separate sites. The concept offered several advantages. Communities were more likely to accept the smaller squadrons than the large wings and the location of separate squadrons in smaller population centers would facilitate recruiting and manning. Continental Air Command (ConAC)'s plan called for placing Air Force Reserve units at fifty-nine installations located throughout the United States. When these relocations were completed in 1959, reserve wing headquarters and wing support elements would typically be on one base, along with one (or in some cases two) of the wing's flying squadrons, while the remaining flying squadrons were spread over thirty-five Air Force, Navy and civilian airfields under what was called the Detached Squadron Concept.
Although this dispersal was not a problem when the entire wing was called to active service, mobilizing a single flying squadron and elements to support it proved difficult. This weakness was demonstrated in the partial mobilization of reserve units during the Berlin Crisis of 1961 To resolve this, at the start of 1962, ConAC determined to reorganize its reserve wings by establishing groups with support elements for each of its troop carrier squadrons. This reorganization would facilitate mobilization of elements of wings in various combinations when needed. However, as this plan was entering its implementation phase, another partial mobilization occurred for the Cuban Missile Crisis, with the units being released on 22 November 1962. The formation of troop carrier groups occurred in January 1963 for units that had not been mobilized, but was delayed until February for those that had been.
...
Wikipedia