F-22 Raptor News

October 15, 2007 (by SrA Meaghan McNeil) - Members of the 192nd Fighter Wing made their move to Langley official during the 192nd FW's activation ceremony, held at the 27th Fighter Squadron on October 13th.
The ceremony enacted the 192nd's activation order given Oct. 1, transferring the 192nd FW from the Richmond International Airport in Sandston, Va., to Langley.

As part of the Total Force Integration, the merging of the 1st Fighter Wing and the 192nd FW serves several purposes, including a way to best use manpower while saving taxpayer dollars, according to Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley, Air National Guard director.

"The National Guard Bureau is very proud of the Commonwealth of Virginia for this very visible move from Richmond to Langley," said General McKinley as he thanked the commanders here for welcoming the 192nd to Langley.

At Langley, the 192nd FW will serve as a classic associate wing, which is comprised of not only drill-status Guardsmen, but also full-time, Active Guard Reserve and military technicians who support three different missions: the Combat Air Force Logistics Support Center, the 480th Intelligence Wing Distributed Ground System and the 1st FW's air dominance mission, the F-22A.

Because of the 192nd's gradual integration with the 1st FW, the Guard unit has had the opportunity to contribute to the total force teaming on every Raptor deployment since May 2005, including Exercise Northern Edge in Alaska, the Raptor's first Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and even the F-22A's deployment to Kadena Air Base, Japan, said Col. Jay Pearsall, 192nd FW commander.

The colonel thanked Brig. Gen. Mark Barrett, 1st Fighter Wing commander, for his "outstanding team of professionals and warmly welcoming (the 192nd) to the Langley total force team."

"It's the way it ought to be," said General Barrett. "I've been flying and fighting with my Guard and Reserve brothers for my whole career; we can't do it without them."

As a result of the 192nd's activation at Langley, several units from the wing will inactivate in late October, including the 192nd's Services Flight, Communications Flight, Civil Engineer Squadron, Logistics Readiness Squadron and Dets. 2 and 3.