Reserve, active-duty Airmen make deployment history

  • Published
  • 301st Fighter Wing Public Affairs office
NAVAL AIR STATION FORT WORTH JOINT RESERVE BASE, Texas --  Reservists from the 44th Fighter Group along with 95th Fighter Squadron active-duty Airmen, both at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., recently made history as completing the first Tyndall and F-22 Raptor combat deployment.

"This deployment enhanced our partnership," said Col. Brian Neal, 44th Fighter Group commander. "We worked side by side with our active duty partners to complete the mission." 

Eleven Reserve Airmen from the 44th Fighter Group accompanied the more than 200 active duty Airmen deployed from Tyndall. Six F-22s and approximately 230 short tons of cargo accompanied the Airmen.

The deployment also marked the first time an F-22 squadron deployed to combat. And, it was the group's first deployment since relocating to Tyndall from Holloman AFB, N.M., last summer.

"Since moving to Tyndall, we've worked tirelessly to make sure our Airmen were combat-ready and prepared to support Tyndall however we could," Neal said. 
The six- month deployment to Southeast Asia began last September and concluded in April.

"Overall it was great," said Lt. Col. Ronald E. Gilbert, 95 FS commander. "I was really proud of our folks and happy with their attitudes and the way they approached business. People kept the positive motivation moving forward and worked around the clock to ensure combat operations were uninterrupted. I think we represented Team Tyndall well."

Tyndall has 24 F-22s, making it the largest contingent of 5th generation aircraft in the world.

The fighter group, a classic associate of Tyndall, is a geographically separated unit of the 301st Fighter Wing, and the only Air Force Reserve unit that flies both the F-22 and T-38 Talon. 

(Information localized from 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs' article.)