North Carolina Air National Guard | |
---|---|
Active | 1947–present |
Country | United States |
Allegiance | North Carolina |
Branch | Air National Guard |
Type | state militia, military reserve force |
Role | "To meet state and federal mission responsibilities" |
Part of | North Carolina National Guard United States National Guard Bureau National Guard |
Headquarters | Raleigh, North Carolina |
Motto(s) | "We stand ready" |
Commanders | |
Civilian leadership | President Joe Biden (Commander-in-Chief) Frank Kendall III (Secretary of the Air Force) Governor Roy Cooper (Governor of North Carolina) |
Adjutant General of North Carolina | Major General M. Todd Hunt |
Insignia | |
Emblem | |
Aircraft flown | |
Transport | Boeing C-17 Globemaster III |
The North Carolina Air National Guard (NCANG) is the aerial militia of the State of North Carolina, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the North Carolina Army National Guard an element of the North Carolina National Guard of the larger United States National Guard Bureau.
As state militia units, the units in the North Carolina Air National Guard are not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command. They are under the jurisdiction of the Governor of North Carolina through the office of the North Carolina Adjutant General unless they are federalized by order of the President of the United States. The North Carolina Air National Guard is headquartered in Raleigh, and its commander is Major General M. Todd Hunt.
Under the "Total Force" concept, North Carolina Air National Guard units are considered to be Air Reserve Components (ARC) of the United States Air Force (USAF). North Carolina ANG units are trained and equipped by the Air Force and are operationally gained by a Major Command of the USAF if federalized. In addition, the North Carolina Air National Guard forces are assigned to Air Expeditionary Forces and are subject to deployment tasking orders along with their active duty and Air Force Reserve counterparts in their assigned cycle deployment window.
Along with their federal reserve obligations, as state militia units the elements of the North Carolina ANG are subject to being activated by order of the Governor to provide protection of life and property, and preserve peace, order and public safety. State missions include disaster relief in times of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and forest fires, search and rescue, protection of vital public services, and support to civil defense.
The North Carolina Air National Guard (NC ANG) consists of the following major unit:
The NC ANG also contains the following support units and capabilities:
On 24 May 1946, the United States Army Air Forces, in response to dramatic postwar military budget cuts imposed by President Harry S. Truman, allocated inactive unit designations to the National Guard Bureau for the formation of an Air Force National Guard. These unit designations were allotted and transferred to various State National Guard bureaus to provide them unit designations to re-establish them as Air National Guard units. [2]
The North Carolina Air National Guard origins date to 15 March 1948 with the establishment of the 156th Fighter Squadron and is oldest unit of the North Carolina Air National Guard. It was federally recognized and activated at Morris Field, near Charlotte and was equipped with F-47D Thunderbolts. Its mission was the air defense of the state.
In 1950 the 156th was re-equipped with former World War II F-51 Mustangs, now designated RF-51D which had been used in the United States in a training role. The squadron became part of Tactical Air Command (TAC) as a Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. The 156th Fighter Squadron was federalized due to the Korean War on 10 October 1950. During its federalization period, the 157th was deployed to Toul-Rosières Air Base, departing for Europe in January 1952. On 9 July 1952 the activated North Carolina Air National Guard was released from active duty and returned to state control.
In 1955 the facilities at Morris Field were expanded, two years later the 145th Fighter Group was organized consisting of the 156th Fighter Squadron and subordinate units. In 1960 the 145th FG group was redesignated the 145th Aeromedical Transport Group flying evacuation missions. In 1964 the 145th ATG was redesignated 145th Air Transport Group (Heavy). From 1966 to 1971 the 145th ATG was deployed to Vietnam, flying over 20 million km without an aircraft accident. [3]
In 1990 North Carolina Army and Air National Guard units were mobilized for Operation Desert Shield, followed by Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Personnel from the 145th Airlift Wing were deployed to Germany and other locations. In 1995 North Carolina Army and Air National Guard troops were mobilized for service in Bosnia, Hungary, and Germany. [4]
After the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, elements of every Air National Guard unit in North Carolina have been activated in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Flight crews, aircraft maintenance personnel, communications technicians, air controllers and air security personnel were engaged in Operation Noble Eagle air defense overflights of major United States cities. Also, North Carolina ANG units have been deployed overseas as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq as well as other locations as directed.
In 2012, the White Draw Fire burned 8 miles northeast of Edgemont, South Dakota. [5] On 1 July 2012, an NC Air National Guard C-130 aircraft that was tasked as a Modular Airborne FireFighting System crashed, killing four military personnel and injuring two. [6]
On 18 December 2015, Clarence Ervin became the first African-American chief of staff of the North Carolina Air National Guard in its history. [7]
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It, along with the Army National Guard component of each state, district, commonwealth or territory, makes up the National Guard of each region as applicable.
The Illinois Air National Guard is the aerial militia of the State of Illinois, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the Illinois Army National Guard, an element of the Illinois National Guard.
The Texas Air National Guard (TX ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Texas, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the Texas Army National Guard an element of the Texas National Guard of the larger United States National Guard Bureau. No element of the Texas Air National Guard is under United States Air Force command. They are under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Texas through the office of the Texas Adjutant General unless they are federalized by order of the President of the United States. The Texas Air National Guard is headquartered at Camp Mabry, Austin, and its chief of staff is Brigadier General Matthew Barker.
The Georgia Air National Guard is the aerial militia of the State of Georgia, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force, and along with the Georgia Army National Guard, an element of the Georgia National Guard.
The Kentucky Air National Guard (KY ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the Kentucky Army National Guard, an element of the Kentucky National Guard of the much larger United States National Guard Bureau.
The Ohio Air National Guard is the aerial militia of the State of Ohio, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the Ohio Army National Guard an element of the Ohio National Guard of the larger United States National Guard Bureau.
The Alaska Air National Guard (AK ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Alaska, United States of America. It is, along with the Alaska Army National Guard, an element of the Alaska National Guard.
The New York Air National Guard (NY ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of New York in the United States of America. It is an element of the New York National Guard as part of the larger Air National Guard, a reservist force under the command of the United States Air Force.
The 121st Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
The 118th Wing is a unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard, stationed at Joint Base Berry Field, formerly Berry Field Air National Guard Base, Nashville, Tennessee. The 118th is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper. If activated to federal service, it is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.
The Arkansas Air National Guard, commonly known as the Arkansas Air Guard, is the aerial militia of the State of Arkansas, United States of America. It is, along with the Arkansas Army National Guard, an element of the Arkansas National Guard, and a reserve of the United States Air Force. As state militia units, the units in the Arkansas Air National Guard are not typically in the normal United States Air Force chain of command unless federalized. They are under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Arkansas through the office of the Arkansas Adjutant General unless they are federalized by order of the President of the United States. The Arkansas Air National Guard is headquartered at North Little Rock, and its commander is currently Brigadier General William M. Leahy.
Muñiz Air National Guard Base is the home base for the Puerto Rico Air National Guard. This installation is located within the grounds of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina, Puerto Rico 14 km east of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The 179th Cyberspace Wing is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base, Mansfield, Ohio. If activated to federal service with the United States Air Force, the Wing is gained by the Air Combat Command (ACC).
The 175th Wing is a unit of the Maryland Air National Guard, stationed at Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Maryland. If activated to federal service, components of the Wing are gained by the two separate major commands of the United States Air Force: Air Combat Command (ACC) and United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE).
The 156th Wing is a unit of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, stationed at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. If activated to federal service with the United States Air Force, the wing is operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC). It traces its history to the creation of the 156th Tactical Fighter Group in 1962.
The South Carolina Air National Guard (SC ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of South Carolina, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the South Carolina Army National Guard an element of the South Carolina National Guard of the much larger United States National Guard Bureau.
The 156th Airlift Squadron is a unit of the North Carolina Air National Guard 145th Airlift Wing. It is assigned to Charlotte Air National Guard Base, North Carolina and is equipped with the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
The 198th Airlift Squadron was the last flying squadron of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard (PRANG) 156th Airlift Wing located at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The 198th last assigned aircraft was the WC-130H Hercules. The 198th was established in October 1944 as the 463d Fighter Squadron, was re-designated as the 198th and allotted to the PRANG in May 1946, redesignated from fighter to airlift in October 1998, and was inactivated on 31 December 2019.
The United States Air Force's 263rd Combat Communications Squadron is an Air National Guard combat communications unit located at the Stanly County Airport Air National Guard Station in Albemarle, North Carolina.
The 145th Airlift Wing is a unit of the North Carolina Air National Guard. It is assigned to Charlotte Air National Guard Base, North Carolina and is equipped with the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. If activated to federal service in the United States Air Force, the 145th is gained by Air Mobility Command.