Staying with the Training Team

The 325th Fighter Wing’s air battle management schoolhouse at Tyndall AFB, Fla., will remain with Air Education and Training Command when the F-22 wing transitions to Air Combat Command in October, according to wing officials. “We are staying with the current command because we are an initial skills training course and that falls under the mission of AETC,” said Lt. Col. Gary Smith, commander of the 325th Air Control Squadron that runs the school. Tyndall’s 325th FW, which currently hosts F-22 training, is slated to transition to ACC next month as part of its preparations to assume control of a new combat-coded F-22 squadron that is transferring from Holloman AFB, N.M. At that point, the 325th ACS will redesignate as the 337th ACS, remaining with AETC. “Since 1948, this mission has been at Tyndall,” said Smith. “It is the oldest heritage on Tyndall for training.” The nine-month tech school graduates roughly 150 combat-ready officers a year, states the wing’s Sept. 5 release. (Tyndall report by SSgt. Rachelle Elsea)