This successful flight culminated in the 40th Air Division of the Strategic Air Command receiving the Mackay Trophy[23] in 1953. [17], On 8 February 1964, the 308th Fighter Squadron flew a non-stop mission from Homestead to Cigli Air Base, Turkey. Then, during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, the 31st planned operational missions and participated in events that ultimately led to the removal of missiles from Cuba. The group's lineage began with its activation at Selfridge Field Michigan, on 1 February 1940. (U.S. Air Force) AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy Brig. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he . Norman covers the U.S. military in Northern Italy and sometimes elsewhere for Stars and Stripes. Since the beginning of combat operations in Iraq, forces from the wing have been on regular combat rotations into the region. ASSIGNMENTS New Aviano commander a 31st Fighter Wing veteran It was the first Air Force organization to fully employ the Expeditionary Wing concept. On 1 April 1994, the 31st Fighter Wing inactivated at Homestead and subsequently activated at Aviano Air Base, Italy in place of the 401st Fighter Wing. Sixteenth Air Force (16 AF)'s original ancestor was the Joint United States Military Group, Air Administration (Spain), which was established on 20 May 1954. The wing assumed a dual-role function with the primary mission of air defense of southern Florida and the secondary as a replacement training unit. An official website of the United States government Here's how you know Official websites use .mil . from around the world. From March to September 2000, the 510th and 555th Fighter Squadrons conducted back-to-back deployments to Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, in support of Operation Southern Watch. Its headquarters is at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. This detachment collected NATO data from AIRSOUTH/DEPCINCUSAFE-SOUTHERN AREA, a dual-hatted position, and provided the information to 16 AF. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes), Lt. Gen. Timothy R. Ray offers the symbol of leadership for the 31st Fighter wing to Brig. The 31st Pursuit Group, the predecessor unit of the wing's 31st Operations Group, was activated at Selfridge Field, Michigan, on 1 February 1940. With approximately 4,200 Active Duty military members, nearly 300 U.S. civilians and 700 Italian civilian employees, the wing conducts and supports air combat operations and maintains munitions for NATO. Bailey takes over command from Brig. (U.S. Air Force). This 606th ACS unit is comprised of more than 400 Airmen from 25 diverse Air Force specialty codes and $173M of rapidly deployable equipment including two TPS-75 radars, long-haul communications equipment, generators, tactical vehicles and a computer-based information system providing a real-time battlespace picture. This strategic location makes the wing important for operations in NATO's southern region. January 2005 November 2007, F-16 Flight Lead, Electronic Combat Pilot, Cannon AFB, N.M. EDUCATION An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. (Kent Harris / S&S), Senior Airman Benson Cogbill from the 31st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron takes down the name plate of the former commander of the 31st Fighter Wing from an F-16 parked in Hangar 1 to reveal the name of the new U.S. commander at Aviano Air Base: Brig. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brooke Moeder), An HH-60G Pave Hawk assigned to the 56th Rescue Squadron flies over Aviano Air Base, Italy, Nov. 21, 2022. [21], The wing pioneered the development of in flight refueling tactics. Gen. Tad Clark, 31st Fighter Wing commander, receive a mission brief at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Nov. 21, 2022. The 401st FW moved from Spain to Aviano AB, Italy, in May 1992 and was re-designated as the 31st FW in April 1994. Approximately 13,200 airmen, in addition to 32,000 airmen through Europe, deployed in support of the 78-day air campaign that led to Serbian withdrawal of forces from the province of Kosovo. In the fall of 1995, 16 AF supported Operation Deliberate Force, the U.N.-sanctioned/NATO executed attacks on Bosnian-Serb forces. Heriberto Diaz, Third Air Force command chief, waves from an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter assigned to the 56th Rescue Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Nov. 22, 2022. That next assignment included participating in the invasion force that landed in North Africa on 8 November 1942, becoming the first American Air Force unit to see combat in theater. llamas.norman@stripes.com Twitter: @normanllamas. And the highest possible nuclear inspection rating in 2015, according to the citation for an award he was issued. Aviano Air Base > Units > 31st Fighter Wing - AF This includes the operation of six Aviano-based squadrons: the Civil Engineer Squadron, Colonel Jason M. Mitchell is the Commander, 31st Maintenance Group, Aviano Air Base, Italy. The 31st FW has the 57th Rescue Squadron thatleads, organizes, trains and equips Guardian Angel forces and combat support teams to conduct day and night personnel recovery operations in combat, as well as to provide combatant commanders with options to report, locate, recover and reintegrate isolated personnel. “But today’s not about looking back,” he said. Gen. Jason Bailey, incoming commander of the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy. [17] They flew from Gibraltar to Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria, where they scored their first victories in the campaign shooting down three French fighters that were strafing the airfield just as the 31st arrived. 2022 Spark Tank. Unterseher.[6]. 2023 Stars and Stripes. 2023 Stars and Stripes. The Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) (16 AF) is a United States Air Force (USAF) organization responsible for information warfare, which encompasses intelligence gathering and analysis, surveillance, reconnaissance, cyber warfare and electronic warfare operations. All Rights Reserved. The unit employs medical resources and preventive initiatives to ensure airmen remain mission ready to support the Expeditionary Air Force, US and NATO objectives worldwide. He had held all the "right" jobs and knew success in his upcoming touras Aviano's 31st Fighter Wing (31 FW) Commander would provide a great shot for promotionto Brigadier General. The 31st Maintenance Group maintains combat capability for 56 combat-coded F-16 C/D and HH-60 aircraft valued at $2.4B, and provides force infrastructure support for 1,600 military and civilian personnel, Col. Kevin Crofton is the the Commander, 31st Operations Group, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy. In 2005, Sixteenth Air Force moved to Ramstein AB, Germany to become USAFE's new Warfighting Headquarters. Brig. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brooke Moeder), U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Derek France, Third Air Force commander, poses for a photo with individuals assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing who were recognized for exceptional performance at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Nov. 21, 2022. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. By the time they had returned to Italy, they had destroyed 37 enemy aircraft, including 21 enemy fighter bombers on their way to attack Russian ground forces with no losses of their own. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes), Rows of American airmen view a 31st Fighter Wing change-of-command ceremony Friday, June 10, 2016 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. None of the first 11 commanders of the 31st Fighter Wing since it activated in Aviano in 1994 had ever served a full tour on base before assuming command of the only fighter wing in Europe south of the Alps. [4] Redesignated as the 31 Fighter Group shortly before entering the war, it amassed an impressive record. 16 AF moved to Aviano AB in August 1992. “Certainly in the Air Force.” Yates, headed for a job as deputy U.S. representative to NATO in Belgium, spent much of his speech talking about the wing’s accomplishments during his two years in Aviano. The 39th Air & Space Expeditionary Wing activated in support of Operation Northern Watch, engaging air power to enforce the no-fly zone over northern Iraq. Brig. AMC Aviano Passenger Terminal. 4. During his visit, France toured the 56th and 57th Rescue Squadrons, the 31st Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms Training and Maintenance facility, 606th Air Control Squadron, Comprehensive Operational Medicine for Battle Ready Airmen clinic and more. Katelyn Ramsey, 57th Rescue Squadron aviation resource management NCOIC, middle, and U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Francis Hallada, 57th Rescue Squadron commander, right, brief Third Air Force leadership at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Nov. 22, 2022. On 15 October 1972, Captains James L. Hendrickson and Gary M. Rubus[27] of the 307th Tactical Fighter Squadron[28] shot down a MiG-21 northeast of Hanoi. The Wing's focus areas are to defend and improve base infrastructure, further Agile Combat Employment (ACE) capabilities and invest in Wyvern Nation Airmen and families. Aviano Air Base on Instagram: "FAMILY | Aviano Air Base hosted a tour Landrum, who took command Friday from Maj. Gen. Barre R. Seguin in a ceremony officiated by Lt. Gen. Timothy R. Ray, showed off a bit of his language skills by delivering about a third of his speech in Italian. General Michael E. Ryan is Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. As Chief, he serves as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipage of 700,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. Website: . Air Force), Brig. The 16 AF also operated SAC bases in Morocco from 1958 through 1963. In addition to engine, armament and avionics updates, the F-84G was the first fighter designed for air refueling and the first single seat fighter-bomber with a designed nuclear delivery capability. 2022 Spark Tank. In 1968 they helped defend installations against enemy forces during the Tet Offensive and the siege of Khe Sanh and were later singled out for their outstanding contribution during the extraction of friendly forces from Kham Duc. France is a command pilot with more than 2,900 hours in the F-15 Eagle, F-22 Raptor and F-16 Fighting Falcon. The 31st Fighter Wing's embrace of dynamic force employmenta type of concept of operations that emphasizes quick deployments and multirole Airmenwill transform various aspects of how Airmen based out of Aviano Air Base, Italy, do business, its commander said during a virtual all-call on Nov. 6. Sgt. This event highlighted the various opportunities and careers strengthened by women in the military. Bailey will command the only permanently assigned Air Force fighter aircraft wing in NATOs southern region. 2:48. 31st Fighter Wing | Military Wiki | Fandom Sgt. Lt. Gen. Robert Bishop, commander of the 3rd Air Force, pointed out in his remarks how much the base had changed during Yates’ two years. He was born in Guatemala and raised in Rhode Island. In 1995, 1h AF supported Operation Joint Endeavor, the NATO peacekeeping mission to the former Yugoslavia, through operations in Croatia, Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Third Air Force commander, command chief visit Aviano. U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Derek France, Third Air Force commander, right, and his spouse Mrs. Amanda France, are briefed on the float pod inside of the 31st Medical Group Comprehensive Operational Medicine for Battle Ready Airmen clinic at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Nov. 22, 2022. 9 to say goodbye on Friday. 55 talking about this. In March 2011, the 31st played a major role in the United Nations' response to the crisis in Libya, known as Operation Odyssey Dawn, in enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya. It is stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) base run by the Italian Air Force . Ray, the 3rd Air Force Commander based at Ramstein, Germany, praised Seguins accomplishments during his tenure. The 57th Rescue Squadron performed High-Altitude Low Opening (HALO) jump training over Aviano. They were the first complete American combat group in the European Theater of Operations and the first to engage in combat. Operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, The 1948 discontinuance and activation reflect a replacement of a Table of Distribution headquarters by a Table of Organization headquarters for the wing and do not change the wing lineage, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/ V Device, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ Palm, "555th Fighter Squadron "Triple Nickel" Factsheet", "510th Fighter Squadron "Buzzards" Factsheet", "Chief Master Sergeant Jeremy L. Unterseher", "This Week in 31st Fighter Wing History: 308th Fighter Squadron deploys to Morocco", "This Week in 31st Fighter Wing History: F-100s serve in Vietnam", "Military Times Hall of Valor John P. Cerak", "Hurricane Andrew's Legacy: 'Like A Bomb' In Florida", "Operation Deliberate Force: Ten years on", "Honor the Fallen" Airman 1st Class Antoine Holt", UNSR 1973 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 (2011), "US, Turkey finalizing details of anti-ISIL airstrikes", USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers1908 to Present, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=31st_Fighter_Wing&oldid=1105983707, 31st Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, 40th Air Division, 14 March 1951 (attached to, Ninth Air Force, 1 June 1962 (attached to: Air Force Atlantic Command, 24 October 9 November 1962 and 1 Air Division Provisional, 10 November-c. 30 November 1962), 836th Air Division, 1 August 1966 (attached to, Turner Field (later Turner Air Force Base), Georgia, 20 November 1947, George Air Force Base, California, 15 March 1959, Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, 31 May 1962 6 December 1966, Tuy Hoa Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, 16 December 1966 15 October 1970, Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, 15 October 1970 1 April 1994, Aviano Air Base, Italy, 1 April 1994present, This page was last edited on 22 August 2022, at 17:42. Best nuclear assurance inspection grade in years, Ray said. He will command about 3,800 airmen and a force that's expected to grow. In June 1942, the 31st Pursuit Group was transferred to England without planes and began training in British Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vbs at Achem and High Ercall air bases. The wing accomplished much during Operation Allied Force as the two permanently assigned flying squadrons, the 510th and 555th, flew more than 2,400 combined sorties and more than 10,000 combat hours.[32]. The clinic houses rehabilitation equipment, such as gait retraining software, anti-gravity treadmills for rehab, recovery modalities and a float pod for sensory deprivation. Aviano Air Base Home Page The two squadrons supported Operation Enduring Freedom. Existing Spanish Air Force bases near Madrid, Sevilla, and Zaragoza were expanded to accommodate the 16 AF. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes), Brig. The 31st Tactical Fighter Training Wing won the 1982 Daedalian Maintenance Trophy Award for the best maintenance complex in the United States Air Force. As the Numbered Air Forces Senior Enlisted Leader, Diaz advises the commander on issues affecting the readiness, organization, training, health, welfare, morale, development, and utilization of more than 30,000 Airmen. (Chad Trujillo/U.S. The 56th RQS integrates with the Guardian Angels weapon system and other special forces to support insertion, extraction and recovery of both U.S. and allied combatants. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas, An official website of the United States government, Italys Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team fly the skies of Aviano, Wyvern Warrior of the Week: Staff Sgt. Born in California, hes a 1988 graduate of Humboldt State University and has been a journalist for 40 years. Franklin, who took command from Brig. Bailey will command the only permanently assigned Air Force fighter aircraft wing in NATOs southern region. On 15 March 1959, the wing moved without people or equipment to George Air Force Base, California During the wing's time in California, it deployed units for four-month alert rotations to Moron Air Base, Spain and Aviano Air Base, Italy. 606 likes, 5 comments - Aviano Air Base (@avianoairbase) on Instagram: "FAMILY | Aviano Air Base hosted a tour for the local Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JRO . He got a short round of applause for it and a bit of envy from Seguin, whos leaving for a post with U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, after two years in Italy on his second tour at Aviano. Gen. Craig Franklin is a newcomer to northern Italy, but he was a member of the 31st Fighter Wing long before the hundreds of airmen who stood in formation Friday. Col. Vincent J. O'Connor, 31st Fighter Wing vice commander, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy. The KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft provides the core aerial refueling capability for the U.S. Air Force and has excelled in this role for, U.S. Air Force Capt. According to Dunham, they can be doing anything from fixing email issues to things as complex as. February 2004 January 2005, student, F-16 pilot training, Springfield-Beckly Air National Guard Base, Ohio Lasica assumed command from Brig. The 31st Fighter Wing is made up of four groups, each consisting of several squadrons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brooke Moeder), U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. The 31st Fighter Wing first activated in 1947, but it traces its heritage to its World War II predecessor unit, the 31st Pursuit Group. 5. Aviano served as the launch point for insertion of airborne forces opening a second front in northern Iraq. Lasica, who arrived at Aviano in June 2018, will now be responsible for the integration of air and space power in support of NATOs Resolute Support mission. The Aviano First 31 PCS & Welcome Guide is a project of the 31st Community Action Board and is maintained by the Aviano Public Affairs office.
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