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Westover Air Reserve Base
Westover is the nation's largest Air Force Reserve base. Currently, 2,500 reservists are assigned to the wing at Westover.
The host wing, the 439th Airlift Wing, is capable of providing worldwide air movement of troops, supplies, equipment and medical patients. Airlift also involves airdrop and combat off-load operations.
Westover is home to 16 C-5 cargo aircraft nicknamed "Galaxy."
C-5s are the largest aircraft in the Air Force and specialize in missions involving outsized and oversized cargo that no other aircraft can carry.
Humanitarian Support
Westover's C-5 and people have a long and proud history of supporting worldwide humanitarian missions from disaster relief to providing food to refugees.
Recent humanitarian-related missions include:
Pakistan earthquake relief (2005) o Bosnia refugee support (1996)
Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief (2005) o Operation Support Hope (Rwanda 1994)
Tsunami disaster relief (2005) o Operation Restore Hope (Haiti 1992)
Iran earthquake (2003) o Hurricane Hugo (Miami 1992)
World Trade Center recovery (2001) o Flood relief in Pakistan (1992)
Mozambique flood relief (2000) o Hurricane Gilberty (Hurricane Hugo (Puerto Rico/Charleston, S.C. 1989)
Hurricane Mitch (Honduras 1999)
Honduran flood relief (1998) o Jamaica (1988)
War/Contingency Support
Westover C-5 and people have also supported war-related missions such as:
Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq 2003 - present)
Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan 2001 - present)
Operation Noble Eagle (Homeland Defense 2001 - present)
Operation Joint Endeavor in 1996 (Bosnia)
Opertion Uphold Democracy in 1994 (Haiti)
Operation Restore Hope in 1992 (Somalia)
Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990-1991 (Iraq/Kuwait)
Operation Just Cause in 1989 (Panama)
In October 2001, Operation Enduring Freedom called up more than 1,000 Air Force reservists to fight the war on terrorism in Afghanistan.
When Operation Iraqi Freedom kicked off in early February, 2003, nearly 1,000 members of the 439th were again called to active duty.
C-5 Galaxy
C-5s first arrived at Westover in October 1987.
C-5s are capable of carrying 265,000 pounds of cargo!
C-5 cargo compartment can hold 6 Greyhound buses
C-5 cargo compartment can hold 25,844,746 ping pong balls
At nearly 143 feet, the length of the C-5 cargo floor is longer than the distance of the Wright brothers' first flight.
The C-5 carries enough fuel for the average American car to make 31 trips around the world.
Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)
Westover Air Reserve Base is part of the Air Force Reserve Command -- a major command in the U.S. Air Force.
Known as "Citizen Airmen," Air Force Reservists play an integral role in our national defense and are vital to the effectiveness of our military in combat.
Reserve components are 46% of the U.S. military force structure; they are essential to fighting the nation's wars and play a vital role in the Global War On Terrorism.
The reserves provide 45% of the Air Force's strategic airlift capability.
"Citizen Airmen" balance the demands of their military service with those of their families and civilian employers. To make the Air Force mission a success, Reservists go "above and beyond" the commitments of civilian life.
AFRC provides 20 percent of the Air Force's combat capability for 4 percent of the total AF budget.
"Traditional" unit reservists train part time as a unit - at least one weekend each month along with two weeks of annual training each year and deploy when required.
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