The Air Force plans to create a “new regional response capability” to handle support for natural disasters and homeland defense, Gen. John Corley, USAF Vice Chief of Staff, said last week at a reserve forces hearing. The new entity—a “combat support wing”—will comprise Air National Guardsmen in transportation, engineering, security forces, civil support teams, medical, communications, and logistics. Actually, USAF already has at least two combat support wings—the 38th CSW activated at Ramstein AB, Germany, in 2004 and 501st CSW activated at RAF Mildenhall, Britain, in 2005. In Europe the CSWs provide a single control for USAFE’s geographically separated units, many of which provide the same type of services as those envisioned for the ANG stateside wings. Corley said the service is “working closely” with Guard leadership on this regional response initiative.
Clearing jungle and laying asphalt in tropical heat may not sound like fun to most people, but it’s a way of life for Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers (RED HORSE) Airmen, who have spent the past year or so restoring World War II-era airfields on the Pacific…