Alaska Air National Guard officials tell the Anchorage Daily News that the state’s 176th Wing has taken center stage for airlift operations in Afghanistan—a role that may extend for two years. The wing volunteered for the job and plans to rotate approximately 50 airmen from Kulis Air National Guard Base in and out of Afghanistan every two months. This is the first time the wing has participated in the current Southwest Asia operations because Pacific Air Forces restricted the unit to maintain sufficient airlift in the Pacific region.
The 301st Fighter Wing in Fort Worth, Texas, became the first standalone Reserve unit in the Air Force to get its own F-35s, welcoming the first fighter Nov. 5.