141st Air Refueling Wing

141st Air Refueling Wing
141st Air Refueling Wing emblem
Active	1946-Present
Country	United States
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Wing
Role	Aerial refueling
Part of	Washington Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, Washington.
Decorations	AFOUA
Website	http://www.141arw.ang.af.mil
Commanders
Wing Commander	Colonel Richard W. Kelly
Vice Commander	Colonel Michael C. Hirst
Command Chief Master Sergeant	Wayne R. Deist

The 141st Air Refueling Wing (141 ARW) is a unit of the Washington Air National Guard, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, Washington. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.

The 116th Air Refueling Squadron assigned to the Wings 141st Operations Group, is a descendant organization of the World War I 116th Aero Squadron, established on 28 August 1917. It was reformed on 6 August 1924, as the 116th Observation Squadron, and is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.

Overview

The 141st Air Refueling Wing's mission is to provide the core aerial refueling capability for the United States Air Force and the Air Guard. This unique aircraft enhances the Air Force's capability to accomplish its primary missions of Global Reach and Global Power. It also provides aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and allied nation aircraft. Equipped with the KC-135 Stratotanker, the Wing is capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations.

Units

The 141st Air Refueling Wing is composed of the following units:

• 141st Operations Group

116th Air Refueling Squadron

• 141st Maintenance Group
• 141st Mission Support Group
• 141st Medical Group
• 242d Combat Communications Squadron (GSU at Geiger Field, Washington)
• 256th Combat Communications Squadron (GSU at Four Lakes, Washington)

Mission and History

The 141st Air Refueling Wing employs over 1,000 citizen-airmen. It is one of the oldest Air National Guard flying units in the nation, with a flying squadron that was first activated in 1924. It is also the only flying unit in the Washington Air National Guard.

As an Air National Guard unit, the 141st Air Refueling Wing has both a federal and state mission. When gained by Air Mobility Command, the federal mission is to train, equip and deploy mobility forces to forward operating locations in support of specific contingency plans and other short-notice taskings. Since the flying unit received federal recognition in 1924, it has been activated during World War II, the Korean War, Desert Storm, Operation Allied Force, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and the global war on terrorism. Aside from presidential call-ups, many personnel throughout the wing have voluntarily deployed in support of the Expeditionary Air Force and other contingency operations. Since 1999, over one-fourth of the wing's members have deployed to locations such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Germany, France, Italy, Iceland and Hungary.

Under order of the governor of the state of Washington, the wing provides protection of life and property and preserves peace, order and public safety. Members of the wing served on state active duty following the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 cleaning up ash in many of the smaller communities of eastern Washington and during fire storms, floods, and ice storms. The unit's Security Forces Squadron supported local law enforcement in Pullman following campus riots in 1998. In 1992 the wing supported relief efforts in Hawaii due to hurricane Iniki. In 2005 the wing responded to Hurricane Katrina, the nation's most costly natural disaster.

In response to the Congress-mandated 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, the last of the KC-135 Stratotankers belonging to the 141st Air Refueling Wing were redirected to Iowa, and as of 1 October 2007 the 141 ARW now shares aircraft with the active duty 92d Air Refueling Wing.

Major Command/Gaining Command

• Air National Guard/Air Mobility Command (1992–Present)
• Air National Guard/Strategic Air Command (1976–1992)
• Air National Guard/Tactical Air Command (1946–1976)

Previous designations

The wing has had the following designations:

• 141st Air Refueling Wing (1992–Present)
• 141st Air Refueling Group (1976–1992)
• 141st Fighter Group (1960–1976)
• 142nd Air Defense Wing (1948–1960)

Squadrons assigned

• 116th Air Refueling Squadron (1924–Present)

Stations

The wing has been stationed at the following locations:

• Fairchild AFB, Washington (1976–Present)
• Geiger Field, Washington (1950–1976)
• Felts Field, Spokane, Washington (1946–1950)

Aircraft operated

A Thunderbird F-16C refuels from an 141st ARW KC-135E.

A 141st ARW KC-135R refuels USAF and USN planes, in 2007.

The wing has flown the following aircraft:

• RC-26B Metroliner (1994–Present)
• KC-135 Stratotanker (1976–Present)
• F-101 Voodoo (1965–1976)
• F-102 Delta Dagger (1960–1965)
• F-89 Scorpion (1957–1960)
• F-94 Starfire (1955–1957)
• T-33 Shooting Star (1953–1955)
• F-86 Sabre (1951–1955)
• F-84 Thunderjet (1950–1951)
• L-5 Sentinel (1946–1950)
• B-26B Invader (1946–1950)
• C-47 Skytrain (1946–1950)
• P-51 Mustang (1946–1950)
• AT-6 Texan (1946–1950)

Decorations

• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

External links

• 141st Aerial Refueling Wing
• Video of a 141 ARW KC-135R performing an in-flight refueling