Kansas Air National Guard

Kansas Air National Guard
KC-135 of the 190th Air Refueling Wing flying over the Kansas State Capitol, Topeka
Active	17 January 1947 - present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Kansas
Branch	Air National Guard
Role	"To meet state and federal mission responsibilities."
Part of	Kansas Adjutant General's Department United States National Guard Bureau
Commanders
Civilian leadership	President Barack Obama (Commander-in-Chief) Michael B. Donley (Secretary of the Air Force) Governor Sam Brownback (Governor of the State of Kansas)
State military leadership	Major General Lee Tafanelli
Insignia
Emblem of the Air National Guard
Aircraft flown
Tanker	KC-135R Stratotanker

The Kansas Air National Guard (KS ANG) is the air force militia of the State of Kansas, United States of America. It is, along with the Kansas Army National Guard, an element of the Kansas National Guard.

Overview

As state militia units, the units in the Kansas Air National Guard are not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command. They are under the jurisdiction of the United States National Guard Bureau unless they are federalized by order of the President of the United States.

Under the "Total Force" concept, Kansas Air National Guard units are considered to be reserve components of the United States Air Force (USAF). Kansas ANG units are trained and equipped by the Air Force and are operationally gained by a Major Command of the USAF if federalized.

Personnel are expected to adhere to the same moral and physical standards as their "full-time" active duty and "part-time" Air Force Reserve federal counterparts. The same ranks and insignia of the Air Force are used by the Air National Guard, and Air National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Air National Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered.

Its state mission "under order of state authorities, provides protection of life and property, and preserves peace, order and public safety. State missions, which are funded by the individual states, 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 Kansas Air National Guard is headquartered in Topeka, and its commander is currently Brigadier General Bradley S. Link.

Components

The Kansas Air National Guard consists of the following major units:

• 190th Air Refueling Wing

Established 15 October 1962; operates: KC-135R Stratotanker

Stationed at: Forbes Field Air National Guard Base, Topeka; Gained by: Air Mobility Command

• 184th Intelligence Wing

Established 1 October 1962

Stationed at: McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita; Gained by: Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency

History

The Kansas Air National Guard origins date to 4 August 1941 with the establishment of the 127th Observation Squadron. It is is oldest unit of the Washington Air National Guard. It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.

The modern Kansas ANG received federal recognition on 7 September 1946 as the 127th Fighter Squadron at Wichita Municipal Airport, Wichita. It was equipped with F-51D Mustangs and its mission was the air defense of the state. On 23 February 1957, the 117th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, was federally recognized at Hutchinson Air National Guard Base, Hutchinson, equipped with F-80C Shooting Star jet interceptors.

On 1 October 1962 the 127th Tactical Fighter Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 184th Tactical Fighter Group was allotted by the National Guard Bureau, extended federal recognition and activated. That same year, the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was expanded on 15 October and the 190th Tactical Reconnaissance Group was federally recognized.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Gross, Charles J (1996), The Air National Guard and the American Military Tradition, United States Dept. of Defense, ISBN: 0160483026
• Kansas Adjutant General website