Air Force Reserve

Air Force Reserve
source
Unit name	Air Force Reserve
Caption	Emblem of the Air Force Reserve Command
Dates	14 April 1948 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Reserve force
Role	Aerial warfare
Size	~70,000 personnel
Command structure	United States Department of the Air Force
Garrison	Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
Current commander	Lt Gen John P. Healy
Notable commanders	Lt Gen James F. Jackson

Air Force Reserve. The Air Force Reserve is the federal reserve component of the United States Air Force, consisting of trained personnel who augment the active-duty force during peacetime and mobilize for wartime or national emergencies. It is a vital element of the Total Force policy, providing combat-ready units and individuals to support the Department of Defense mission. The Reserve is organized under Air Force Reserve Command, headquartered at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

History of the Air Force Reserve

The modern Air Force Reserve was established on 14 April 1948, following the creation of the United States Air Force as a separate service in 1947. Its lineage, however, traces back to the United States Army Air Corps civilian reserve programs of the interwar period and the massive mobilization of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. The Korean War prompted the first major recall of reservists, proving the concept's necessity. Subsequent reorganizations, including the pivotal Total Force Policy implemented after the Vietnam War by the Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, fully integrated reserve components into all operational planning. Key legislation like the Reserve Forces Act of 1955 and the evolution through conflicts such as the Gulf War and the Global War on Terrorism have continually shaped its structure and readiness.

Organization and Structure

The Air Force Reserve is commanded by Air Force Reserve Command, one of the Major Commands of the United States Air Force, led by a Lieutenant General. It is subdivided into three numbered air forces: the Tenth Air Force at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, the Twenty-Second Air Force at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, and the Fourth Air Force at March Air Reserve Base. These headquarters oversee numerous wings, groups, and squadrons geographically dispersed across the United States, including key locations like McChord Field, Peterson Space Force Base, and Homestead Air Reserve Base. This structure allows for specialized command and control while maintaining alignment with the active-duty United States Northern Command and United States Indo-Pacific Command.

Roles and Responsibilities

Its primary role is to provide fully trained units and qualified individuals for active duty in times of war, national emergency, or as otherwise needed. Reservists perform the full spectrum of air and space operations, including airlift and aerial refueling with aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster III, Combat search and rescue missions, Weather reconnaissance, and Special operations support. They also fulfill critical roles in Aeromedical evacuation, Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance using platforms like the MQ-9 Reaper, and Space operations. In peacetime, they routinely support FEMA during domestic disasters like Hurricane Katrina and participate in exercises like Red Flag.

Training and Operations

Reservists maintain proficiency through a traditional schedule of one weekend of training per month and two weeks of annual tour duty, known as Unit Training Assemblies. They conduct both Mission qualification training and Continuation training to stay current with active-duty standards. Operations are seamlessly integrated into the Air and Space Expeditionary Force construct, with reservists regularly deploying alongside active-duty United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa and Pacific Air Forces personnel. Major training exercises include Operation Noble Eagle for homeland defense and participation in multinational exercises like Cope Thunder. Training facilities such as the Air Force Reserve Command Readiness Center are essential to this process.

Equipment and Personnel

The force operates a diverse fleet of aircraft, including strategic airlifters like the C-5 Galaxy, tactical airlifters like the C-130 Hercules, fighters like the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-35 Lightning II, and tankers like the KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46 Pegasus. Its personnel strength is approximately 70,000, comprised of both Traditional Reservists and full-time Air Reserve Technicians. Members come from a wide array of specialties, including pilots, combat systems officers, Pararescue specialists, Cyberspace operations experts, and maintenance crews. Key installations supporting this equipment and personnel include Tinker Air Force Base and Westover Air Reserve Base.

Notable Deployments and Missions

The Air Force Reserve has been continuously engaged since the September 11 attacks, with significant contributions to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Reservists provided critical Airlift support during the initial Invasion of Afghanistan and the surge in Iraq. They have flown countless Aeromedical evacuation missions from combat zones to hospitals like Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Domestically, they executed massive relief operations after Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Maria. More recently, units have supported Operation Inherent Resolve against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation from Hamid Karzai International Airport. Category:Air Force Reserve Category:Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces