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A C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Charleston, S.C., approaches a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 434th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., during an aerial refueling mission last year. By Oct. 1, 2011, Air Force Reserve Command will realign four flying wings, including Charleston’s 315th Airlift Wing, under 4th Air Force. The numbered air force is responsible for “strategic reach forces,” which includes aerial refueling and long-range, strategic airlift. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner)
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Reserve Command to realign several units
Posted 9/22/2011 Updated 9/26/2011
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9/22/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Four flying wings, one flying group and seven smaller units in the Air Force Reserve Command will change their higher headquarters and chains of command by Oct. 1.
These actions advance the command's efforts to provide operational capabilities and strategic depth across the full spectrum of military operations. They affect units assigned to all three of the command's numbered air forces. The NAFs are 4th Air Force, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.; 10th AF, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas; and 22nd AF, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
"The realignments give each NAF a distinct mission set, enabling them to more efficiently and effectively oversee the readiness of their subordinate units," said Col. Greg Vitalis, Headquarters AFRC program manager at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. "These realignments are administrative only. They do not involve any changes to the units' geographic location."
Moving from 22nd AF to 4th AF are the 315th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.; 439th AW, Westover ARB, Mass.; 512th AW, Dover AFB, Del.; and 514th Air Mobility Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
The 340th Flying Training Group at Randolph AFB, Texas, is shifting from 10th AF to 22nd AF.
Seven smaller, non-flying units will realign too.
The 71st Aerial Port Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., will switch from 22nd AF to 4th AF.
Two 4th AF units at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. - the 604th Command and Control Squadron and Detachment 2, 4th AF security forces - will switch to 10th AF.
Two reserve support squadrons that report directly to Headquarters AFRC at Robins AFB are going under 22nd AF. They are the 953rd RSPTS at Norfolk NAS, Va., and the 954th RSPTS at Scott AFB, Ill.
The 94th APS at Robins AFB and the 5th Weather Flight at Keesler AFB, Miss., now assigned to NAF regional support groups, will move to groups under 22nd AF.
Each numbered air force focuses on different kinds of missions.
Fourth AF is responsible for "strategic reach forces," which includes aerial refueling and long-range, strategic airlift missions.
Tenth AF is responsible for "power/vigilance with intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, network operations, space, and special operations forces." These forces include fighters, bombers, remotely-piloted aircraft, cyber, space operations, and special operations flying and training.
Twenty-Second AF is responsible for "tactical airlift, combat support, training and institutional forces."
The primary mission of each NAF headquarters is the readiness of its assigned forces. The headquarters staffs provide oversight and advocacy to ensure subordinate units are trained, ready to deploy and support operational missions when tasked.
The number of mission areas supported by Air Force reservists has doubled over the past 10 years. This increase is the result of new requirements in leading-edge missions in space, intelligence, cyberspace, and new weapons systems, Vitalis said.
The demand for reservists on the frontlines has grown as well.
In 1999, about 2,300 reservists filled deployment taskings, Vitalis said. On any given day since 9/11, about 5,000 Air Force reservists serve in the United States, Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere overseas.
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