An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | April 13, 2011

Mississippi National Guard Airmen gain new mission with AFNORTH

By Air Force Lt. Col. Susan Romano Air Forces Northern

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Mississippi Air National Guard activated the 286th Air Operations Group of the 186th Air Refueling Wing to support the homeland defense and domestic disaster-response missions of the Continental US NORAD Region and 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern) here April 8.

“Standing up the 286th AOG is a logical, efficient and effective way for us to accomplish our mission,” said Army Maj. Gen Garry C. Dean, commander of 1st Air Force and CONR-1st AF.

“The 286th will be able to rapidly augment our organization in the event of an emerging natural disaster or air threat to homeland security, and having this manpower pool and technical expertise will greatly enhance our ability to respond at a moment’s notice,” Dean said.

About 320 Airmen make up the unit, in various career fields – air battle managers, civil engineers, logistics, personnel, communications and even a chaplain – to provide ‘reach back’ for the CONR commander to utilize when the scope of an event warrants augmentation.

“The whole idea is to be able to deploy specialists to an area or to Tyndall rapidly,” said Air Force Col. William Platt, 286th AOG commander.

“If we had another disaster like Hurricane Katrina, the AFNORTH commander would be able to task the AOG, and we would send skilled Airmen to help with recovery and response actions,” Platt said.

“This is an absolute win-win situation for us,” said Air Force Col. Franklin Chalk, 186th ARW commander.

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Shane Mills, readiness non-commissioned officer for the 246th Transportation Battalion, Michigan National Guard, discusses U.S. Army fleet management documentation processes with vehicle drivers from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), April 17, 2025, at the RSLAF Joint Logistics Unit in the Murray Town district of Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Michigan-Sierra Leone Partnership Moves Ahead with Multidisciplinary Engagements
By Capt. Andrew Layton, | May 2, 2025
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – The partnership between the Michigan National Guard and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) took another step forward April 11-18 with three separate engagements conducted at various...

A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle from the 159th Fighter Wing flies alongside a B-52H Stratofortress  during air-to-air integration training, April 29, 2025. The training enhanced interoperability between active-duty and Air National Guard aircrews, reinforcing their ability to operate as a cohesive force in complex airspace. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Matthew Dougherty)
Louisiana Guard, Active Component Airmen Complete Air-to-Air Integration Training
By Senior Airman Seth Watson, | May 2, 2025
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. - The 2nd Bomb Wing, assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command under Eighth Air Force, and the Louisiana National Guard's 159th Fighter Wing demonstrated enhanced interoperability and...

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, visits the 49th Missile Defense Battalion, Alaska National Guard, on Fort Greely, Alaska, April 28, 2025. Soldiers of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion operate and secure the ground-based midcourse defense system and are an integral piece of the homeland defense mission to protect the U.S. from intercontinental ballistic missiles using ground-based interceptors.
In Alaska, Nordhaus Sees National Guardsmen Defending the Homeland, Enabling Global Power Projection
By Master Sgt. Zach Sheely | May 1, 2025
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – From within Alaska’s vast Interior, Alaska National Guardsmen defend the homeland from long-range missile attacks and enable global power projection.Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, the chief of...