The Air Force Reserve reactivated the 489th Bomb Group at Dyess AFB, Texas, on Oct. 17. The group, which includes the 345th Bomb Squadron, the 489th Maintenance Squadron, and the 489th Aerospace Medical Flight, operates under the 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La. It will provide B-1 training as well as combat support alongside its classic associate, the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess, states a release. Col. Denis Heinz, commander of the 489th BG, said he is happy to be part of the unit’s legacy. “As I read books published by former group members, I was in awe of their ability to fly, fight, and win under such austere conditions,” Heinz said. “I am proud now to be part of a heritage that dates back to the early days of World War II, when the original 489th fought a much different war.”
Air Force Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost—a trailblazer and one of the first 10 women to reach a four-star rank across the U.S. military—retired and passed control of U.S. Transportation Command to Air Force Gen. Randall Reed on Oct. 4, finishing an eventful tenure at TRANSCOM.