136th Airlift Wing

136th Airlift Wing
Tech. Sgt. Charles Hatton, USAF · Public domain · source
Unit name	136th Airlift Wing
Dates	1962–present
Country	United States
Type	Airlift
Role	Tactical airlift, strategic airlift
Garrison	Tustin, California

136th Airlift Wing is a United States Air National Guard tactical and strategic airlift formation with a heritage of transport, air refueling, and aeromedical missions. The unit traces lineage to Cold War reorganizations and has served in domestic response, contingency operations, and coalition campaigns. It operates and maintains airlift platforms, coordinates aerial delivery, and supports joint operations alongside United States Air Force and allied air transport formations.

History

The unit originated during a period of post‑Korean War force restructuring that involved the Air National Guard and Continental Air Command. Early associations linked the wing to tactical airlift concepts developed after the Berlin Airlift and during the expansion of rotary‑wing and fixed‑wing transport capabilities in the Vietnam War. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the wing adapted to doctrinal shifts prompted by North Atlantic Treaty Organization planning and Strategic Air Command dispersal policies. After the end of the Cold War the wing participated in operations associated with Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, then later supported Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Domestic missions included responses to natural disasters synchronized with Federal Emergency Management Agency efforts and homeland security measures following the September 11 attacks.

Mission and Role

The wing’s core mission centers on rapid global mobility, providing tactical airlift, aeromedical evacuation, and airlift of personnel and materiel in support of joint force commanders. In contingency operations it integrates with United States Transportation Command, Air Mobility Command, and allied airlift providers. The wing also trains for support to civil authorities during emergencies coordinated with Department of Homeland Security components and state governors. Its operational role covers aerial delivery, airland operations, tactical resupply, and patient movement in multinational settings such as NATO exercises and United Nations‑mandated deployments.

Units and Organization

Organizational elements include operations, maintenance, medical, logistics, and support groups that mirror Air National Guard and USAF wing structures. Components typically comprise an airlift squadron, an operations support squadron, a maintenance squadron, and a mission support group aligned with Air National Guard Bureau guidelines. The wing works in tandem with state adjutants general and interoperates with formations from United States Army, United States Navy, and Department of Defense logistics commands during joint and combined operations. Command relationships fluctuate between state activation under a governor and federal activation under the President of the United States.

Aircraft and Equipment

Over its service life the wing transitioned among several airframes, reflecting shifts in capability requirements and acquisition programs administered by Air Force Materiel Command and procurement offices. Earlier eras saw transports analogous to the C-130 Hercules family and tactical airlifters used in theater sustainment. Later upgrades introduced airframes compatible with strategic airlift and aeromedical modification kits standardized by Air Mobility Command and Defense Logistics Agency sustainment networks. Maintenance practices followed technical orders issued by Ogden Air Logistics Complex and utilized ground support equipment common to ANG wings.

Operations and Deployments

The wing has executed deployments to support operations across multiple theaters, embedding with expeditionary wings during Operation Allied Force, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. It participated in multinational exercises such as Exercise Bright Star, RIMPAC, and NATO airlift rotations, and contributed to humanitarian relief efforts after events like major hurricanes and earthquakes coordinated with United States Agency for International Development. Domestic activations included state emergency responses and federal support missions in conjunction with the National Guard Bureau and state emergency management agencies.

Honors and Awards

The wing has received unit awards and commendations recognizing mobilization performance, mission effectiveness, and humanitarian contributions, consistent with decorations administered by the Department of the Air Force and recorded in Air National Guard histories. Citations often reference deployments under combatant commanders, excellence in readiness inspections by Air Mobility Command and National Guard Bureau assessments, and commendatory letters from defense and civil authorities.

Category:Air National Guard wings of the United States Category:Military units and formations established in 1962