SWAMPFOXA1C
03-06-2009, 11:45 AM
The South Carolina Air National Guard was formed in December 1946 and today is made up of 1,200 members who train at McEntire Joint National Guard Base. The 2,400-acre base is located about 12 miles east of Columbia.
About 900 of those assigned to the SCANG are traditional Guard men and women who work in the community and train part-time with the Air National Guard. About 300 federal employees serve as full-time technicians at McEntire and drill with their respective Air Guard units. About 50 state employees work at McEntire, and some of them are also Guard members.
The 169th Fighter Wing is the primary unit of the SCANG. It has about 1,000 members. Wing units include the 157th Fighter Squadron, 169th Maintenance Squadron, 169th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 169th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 169th Civil Engineering Squadron, 169th Security Forces Squadron, 169th Services Flight, 169th Mission Support Flight, 169th Logistics Support Flight, 169th Operations Support Flight, 169th Communications Flight and 169th Medical Group.
The mission of the 169th FW is to maintain wartime readiness and the ability to mobilize and deploy expeditiously to carry out tactical air missions or combat support activities in the event of a war or military emergency. The SCANG operates as part of the Total Force of the U.S. military and is fully integrated with the active duty Air Force to perform its military mission.
The South Carolina Air National Guard also has a state mission, to respond to the call of the governor in the event of natural disaster or domestic disturbance.
The 169th FW flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a single-seat multi-purpose fighter with the capability to fly at up to twice the speed of sound. It has the capabilities to perform both an air-to-air and air-to-ground tactical mission. The 169th flew the F-16A from 1983-1994, and in 1994 transitioned to the F-16C/Block 52, the newest, most advanced F-16 in the Air Force. The SCANG also flies a C-130 Hercules for airlift support.
Also located at McEntire are the 240th Combat Communications Squadron, a diversified communications unit with more than 100 members; and the 245th Air Traffic Control Squadron. The many missions of the 240th CCSQ include ground communications, satellite communications and other advanced communications systems. The 245th ATCS has the ability to perform air traffic control at fixed air bases and at remote sites, and provides all ATC services at home base.
McEntire JNG Base is named for the late Brigadier General Barnie B. McEntire, Jr., the first commander of the SCANG and its first general officer. McEntire died in May 1961 when he rode his malfunctioning F-104 into the Susquehannah River to avoid crashing in the populated area of Harrisburg, PA. The base was previously known as Congaree Air Base and was used in World War II as a U.S. Marine Corps training base.
The SCANG has been called to active military service for five major contingency deployments in its 57-year history. In 1950, SCANG members were called to serve for the Korean War, and its members served at various installations in the United States and abroad. In late 1961, the SCANG was called to active duty during the Berlin Crisis, and the 169th Tactical Fighter Group was stationed at Moron, Spain. In late 1990, units of the SCANG were activated and deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield/Storm, flying 2,000 combat missions and dropping 4 million pounds of munitions, while maintaining the highest aircraft mission capable rate in the theater.
In January 2002, aircraft and personnel of the 169th Fighter Wing were deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, directly participating in combat operations.
In late February 2002, the 240th CCBS deployed a 50-member team to Central Asia in support of President Bush’s war on terrorism. The 240th members returned in August after six months in theater. In September 2002, the 245th ATCS deployed to Afghanistan Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, returning in January 2003. The 245th and other SCANG units regularly deploy members to Iraq and other Southwest Asia locations in support of contingency operations.
In February 2003, nearly 400 members of the 169th FW and all of its F-16s were mobilized and deployed to Southwest Asia as part of what became Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 169th was attached to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed in Qatar. The unit flew more than 400 combat missions, performing the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) mission and flying numerous precision bombing missions over Iraq.
The 169th FW was also a regular participant in the Air Expeditionary Force, which patrolled the Iraqi no-fly zones. The unit has deployed for Operation Southern Watch (Qatar, 1996), to Operation Northern Watch (Turkey, 2000), and again to Southern Watch (Saudi Arabia, 2001). The 169th FW was the first Air National Guard unit to deploy alongside active-duty Air Force units to comprise an AEF.
At present, members of the SCANG are deployed to Southwest Asia in support of US operations there.
In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission announced an expansion at McEntire Joint National Guard Base. In November 2006, five more F-16s arrived at the base to begin the execution of the BRAC recommendations.
I got this off the South Carolina Air National Guard website....
Just thought I would share with everyone the proud tradition I have the priviledge carry on!! I get chills just thinking about the oppurtunity the awaits me! Also to know I get to follow in my grandfather and father's footsteps, I know my grandfather would be proud of me!!
About 900 of those assigned to the SCANG are traditional Guard men and women who work in the community and train part-time with the Air National Guard. About 300 federal employees serve as full-time technicians at McEntire and drill with their respective Air Guard units. About 50 state employees work at McEntire, and some of them are also Guard members.
The 169th Fighter Wing is the primary unit of the SCANG. It has about 1,000 members. Wing units include the 157th Fighter Squadron, 169th Maintenance Squadron, 169th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 169th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 169th Civil Engineering Squadron, 169th Security Forces Squadron, 169th Services Flight, 169th Mission Support Flight, 169th Logistics Support Flight, 169th Operations Support Flight, 169th Communications Flight and 169th Medical Group.
The mission of the 169th FW is to maintain wartime readiness and the ability to mobilize and deploy expeditiously to carry out tactical air missions or combat support activities in the event of a war or military emergency. The SCANG operates as part of the Total Force of the U.S. military and is fully integrated with the active duty Air Force to perform its military mission.
The South Carolina Air National Guard also has a state mission, to respond to the call of the governor in the event of natural disaster or domestic disturbance.
The 169th FW flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a single-seat multi-purpose fighter with the capability to fly at up to twice the speed of sound. It has the capabilities to perform both an air-to-air and air-to-ground tactical mission. The 169th flew the F-16A from 1983-1994, and in 1994 transitioned to the F-16C/Block 52, the newest, most advanced F-16 in the Air Force. The SCANG also flies a C-130 Hercules for airlift support.
Also located at McEntire are the 240th Combat Communications Squadron, a diversified communications unit with more than 100 members; and the 245th Air Traffic Control Squadron. The many missions of the 240th CCSQ include ground communications, satellite communications and other advanced communications systems. The 245th ATCS has the ability to perform air traffic control at fixed air bases and at remote sites, and provides all ATC services at home base.
McEntire JNG Base is named for the late Brigadier General Barnie B. McEntire, Jr., the first commander of the SCANG and its first general officer. McEntire died in May 1961 when he rode his malfunctioning F-104 into the Susquehannah River to avoid crashing in the populated area of Harrisburg, PA. The base was previously known as Congaree Air Base and was used in World War II as a U.S. Marine Corps training base.
The SCANG has been called to active military service for five major contingency deployments in its 57-year history. In 1950, SCANG members were called to serve for the Korean War, and its members served at various installations in the United States and abroad. In late 1961, the SCANG was called to active duty during the Berlin Crisis, and the 169th Tactical Fighter Group was stationed at Moron, Spain. In late 1990, units of the SCANG were activated and deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield/Storm, flying 2,000 combat missions and dropping 4 million pounds of munitions, while maintaining the highest aircraft mission capable rate in the theater.
In January 2002, aircraft and personnel of the 169th Fighter Wing were deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, directly participating in combat operations.
In late February 2002, the 240th CCBS deployed a 50-member team to Central Asia in support of President Bush’s war on terrorism. The 240th members returned in August after six months in theater. In September 2002, the 245th ATCS deployed to Afghanistan Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, returning in January 2003. The 245th and other SCANG units regularly deploy members to Iraq and other Southwest Asia locations in support of contingency operations.
In February 2003, nearly 400 members of the 169th FW and all of its F-16s were mobilized and deployed to Southwest Asia as part of what became Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 169th was attached to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed in Qatar. The unit flew more than 400 combat missions, performing the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) mission and flying numerous precision bombing missions over Iraq.
The 169th FW was also a regular participant in the Air Expeditionary Force, which patrolled the Iraqi no-fly zones. The unit has deployed for Operation Southern Watch (Qatar, 1996), to Operation Northern Watch (Turkey, 2000), and again to Southern Watch (Saudi Arabia, 2001). The 169th FW was the first Air National Guard unit to deploy alongside active-duty Air Force units to comprise an AEF.
At present, members of the SCANG are deployed to Southwest Asia in support of US operations there.
In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission announced an expansion at McEntire Joint National Guard Base. In November 2006, five more F-16s arrived at the base to begin the execution of the BRAC recommendations.
I got this off the South Carolina Air National Guard website....
Just thought I would share with everyone the proud tradition I have the priviledge carry on!! I get chills just thinking about the oppurtunity the awaits me! Also to know I get to follow in my grandfather and father's footsteps, I know my grandfather would be proud of me!!