Active-duty, Guard wings pave future alliances

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. – Col. Thomas Sharpy (front), 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander, and Col. Greg Bulkley, 141st Air Refueling Wing commander, enter a Classic Association ceremony here Oct. 1. The association is the first of its kind, a formal merge of Air Mobility Command’s active-duty 92nd ARW and the Washington Air National Guard’s 141st ARW. The joining of the two wings is a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chad Watkins)

Active-duty, Guard wings pave future alliances

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. – Col. Thomas Sharpy (left), 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander, and Col. Greg Bulkley, 141st Air Refueling Wing commander, unveil a KC-135 Stratotanker’s new joint-patch painting at a Classic Association ceremony here Oct. 1. The side-by-side patches of Air Mobility Command’s 92nd ARW and the Washington Air National Guard’s 141st ARW mark a formal merge of the two wings, the first of its kind in the Air Force. According to an agreement between the two wings, Guard servicemembers now have use of the active-duty KC-135s for training, missions and short-notice emergencies. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chad Watkins)

Active-duty, Guard wings pave future alliances

Published Oct. 2, 2007
By Staff Sgt. Connie L. Bias
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Two air refueling wings merged here Oct. 1, marking the first Classic Association of Air National Guard and Air Mobility Command wings. In response to the Congress-mandated 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, the last of the KC-135 Stratotankers belonging to the Washington ANG's 141st ARW were redirected to Iowa, and the 141st will now share aircraft with the active-duty 92nd ARW. The union, said leadership from both wings, simply makes stronger a bond that already exists.

"We have a long history of cooperation, and we will continue in that spirit," said Col. Greg Bulkley, 141st ARW commander, at a formal ceremony which presented the first KC-135 adorned with both wings' patches. "We have already created documents that form the skeleton for the new relationship of these two organizations. Now is the time to form the body, to bring the association to life."

That new relationship includes an agreement allowing Guard pilots to train with 92nd KC-135s, fly missions with the aircraft, and respond to short-notice emergencies. While both wings will maintain separate operational structures and command chains, daily operations for both wings will become closer than ever.

"The Air National Guard has an obligation to the state, to the governor, as well as a federal mission, as does the 92nd," said Colonel Bulkley. "Utilization of these resources and the synergies that both of these wings bring should prove to be very successful."

"I come from an airlift background," added Colonel Thomas Sharpy, 92nd ARW commander. "In airlift, the airplane doesn't stop. The crews may run out of crew duty day, but the airplane continues to go. With this association, I believe we'll be able to have more aircrews to keep the airplanes flying longer and increase support to the Global War on Terrorism."

To ensure success of this first-ever Classic Association, leadership plans to study other organization merges to benchmark best practices, but also recognizes that the Fairchild union is the first organization of its type and is paving a new path for future association stand-ups.