RC-12 to Mississippi Air Guard

RC-12 to Mississippi Air Guard: Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and the state's Congressional delegation announced Sept. 16 that the Air Force plans to put a temporary mission qualification training detachment for the RC-12 aircraft with the Air National Guard's 186th Air Refueling Wing. The Key Field base should receive up to seven of the intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance platform beginning in January 2009. Sen. Thad Cochran (R) said the training would be "the first of its kind" and would do much to support war on terror operations. The 186th ARW, slated to lose its KC-135 tankers under BRAC 2005, will run the training program alongside its refueling mission through 2011. Sen. Roger Wicker (R) said, "This bridge mission will ensure the pilots, flight crews, and maintenance personnel at Key Field will be able to stay in Meridian and maintain their high level of proficiency." Cong. Chip Pickering acknowledged the hard work of the unit and local and state leaders in assuring "commitments … to preserve a flying mission for the 186th … are kept."

9/17/2008

Verbatim

Appreciative Host
"I know you're here during a difficult time. You're here through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. I promise you, we will find turkeys."
—Republic of Lithuania Chief of Defence Maj. Gen. Arvydas Pocius, expressing his thanks to airmen of the 493rd Fighter Squadron from RAF Lakenheath, Britain, who on Sept. 1, 2010, began a four-month stint with their F-15s in Lithuania to protect the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania under NATO's Baltic air policing mission.

Verbatim

Family Momentum
"In many ways, this was what the Year of the Air Force Family was all about—connecting airmen and their families with the resources they need. I have confidence the Air Force will capitalize on this strong momentum in the years ahead by continuing to improve our family support programs and ensuring people know what resources are available."
—Suzie Schwartz, wife of USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, commenting on the accomplishments of the Year of the Air Force Family initiative that concluded in July, in a statement provided to the Daily Report, Aug. 22, 2010.