(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Representative Chip Cravaack (MN-8) met with Minnesota Lt. Governor Yvonne Prettner Solon, Duluth Mayor Don Ness and members of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee about making the 148th Fighter Wing an active associate unit. The U.S. Air Force developed this designation to help integrate their active and reserve components. 

“The 148th Fighter Wing has a proud history of service and enjoys the full support of our community,” said Cravaack. “As a former reservist, I know that active associate units capitalize on the skills of reservists who can help train active duty airmen.  It also allows the Air Force to conserve their resources, while expanding mission capabilities. I fully support this change in designation for the 148th, and I look forward to working with the Air Force, the Dayton Administration and Mayor Ness to bring active duty airmen to Duluth.”

An active associate unit is one where the reserve component unit has primary responsibility for a weapon system – in the case of the 148th it would be their F-16 jets – and it shares with one or more active duty units. Under this designation, reserve and active duty units retain separate organizational structures and chains of command, and the level of integration is determined on an individual unit basis.

Congressman Cravaack serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee – where he is Vice Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee – the Homeland Security Committee, and the Science, Space and Technology Committee. The 8th Congressional District covers 18 counties in Northeast Minnesota.