Twenty-Second Air Force

Twenty-Second Air Force
Unit name	Twenty-Second Air Force
Dates	1942–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift and mobility training
Garrison	Dobbins Air Reserve Base
Notable commanders	General Raymond E. Johns Jr., General David L. Goldfein

Twenty-Second Air Force The Twenty-Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command responsible for strategic and tactical airlift readiness, training, and operations across the United States and overseas. It manages reserve wings equipped for airlift, aerial refueling, aeromedical evacuation, and support functions, integrating with the Air Mobility Command, United States Transportation Command, Navy Reserve elements, and joint partners in contingency response. The unit traces its lineage to World War II-era troop carrier organizations and has evolved through the Cold War, Operation Desert Storm, and post-9/11 operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

History

Activated during World War II, the headquarters drew lineage from troop carrier groups that supported Operation Overlord, Operation Market Garden, and the North African Campaign. Postwar reorganizations linked it with continental airlift planning during the early Cold War alongside units involved in the Berlin Airlift era and NATO exercises such as Operation Reforger. During the Vietnam War period the organization provided airlift and aeromedical evacuation support coordinated with Military Airlift Command and later shifted into reserve focus with integration into Air Force Reserve Command during the 1970s. In the 1990s the command's reserve wings participated in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, followed by deployments to Haiti for Operation Uphold Democracy and multiple rotations in support of Operation Provide Comfort and humanitarian missions after natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina.

Mission and Role

The unit's core mission encompasses training, readiness, and mobilization of reserve airlift forces to support the United States Transportation Command and operational taskings from Air Mobility Command. It provides trained aircrews, maintainers, and support personnel for strategic platforms such as the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, Boeing C-130 Hercules, and tanker and special operations rotary and fixed-wing assets when linked to joint task forces like Joint Special Operations Command and combatant commands including United States Central Command. The organization also supports domestic contingency operations with interagency partners such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and civil authorities during crises including pandemics and natural disasters.

Organization and Units

The numbered air force commands multiple reserve wings and groups located across the United States including airlift wings flying the C-130 Hercules and C-40 Clipper, operations groups, maintenance groups, and medical squadrons. Key subordinate units have included the 94th, 302d, 434th, and 459th Wings, which operate in support of operational commands like Pacific Air Forces and United States Southern Command. The headquarters liaises with the Air Force Reserve Command staff, the Air Force Personnel Center, and training institutions such as the Air Force Institute of Technology for professional military education and readiness assessment.

Bases and Facilities

Headquartered at Dobbins Air Reserve Base near Marietta, Georgia, the organization maintains wings at installations including Columbus Air Force Base, Scott Air Force Base, Keesler Air Force Base, and reserve bases across Florida, Texas, California, and other states. It utilizes joint basing arrangements with Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Los Angeles Air Force Base, and municipal airports supporting reserve wing operations. Its facilities coordinate with Air Mobility Command enroute infrastructure, contingency response staging areas, and training ranges such as Eglin Air Force Base and Tyndall Air Force Base airspace.

Aircraft and Equipment

Reserve wings under the numbered air force operate airlift platforms including the Lockheed C-130 Hercules variants, the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, and assigned transport aircraft like the Boeing C-40 Clipper and rotary-wing assets for aeromedical and support missions. Support equipment includes aerial resupply systems, aeromedical evacuation suites compatible with United States Army Medical Command protocols, palletized delivery systems from manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing, and logistics management systems interoperable with Defense Logistics Agency networks. Training simulators and mission planners integrate with Air Education and Training Command resources.

Leadership

Commanders have included senior reservists and Air Force leaders who also served in joint billets or major command staff positions, coordinating with leaders from Air Mobility Command, United States Northern Command, and combatant command headquarters. Notable senior officers associated with the unit's history and oversight include leaders who progressed to positions within the Air Force and the Department of Defense, maintaining liaison with congressional defense committees and national-level readiness councils.

Notable Operations and Deployments

Reserve wings and squadrons mobilized under the numbered air force supported major operations including Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom, providing strategic airlift, aeromedical evacuation, and theater sustainment. The organization also executed humanitarian missions during Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Maria, and international disaster responses such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake relief coordinated with United States Agency for International Development and multinational partners. Exercises and interoperability events included participation in Red Flag, RIMPAC, and NATO exercises supporting alliance logistics and mobility training.

Category:Units and formations of the United States Air Force Reserve