AFRC announces 940th Wing to gain KC-135s

by Dana Lineback
940th Wing Public Affairs

3/10/2014 - BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Department of Defense budget request for fiscal year 2015 includes a major change for the 940th Wing here.

The Air Force Reserve Command confirmed today that proposed changes for the Air Force Reserve structure include the addition of eight KC-135R Stratotankers to the reserve wing's mission set.

"That's welcomed news," said Col. Kevin Cavanagh, 940th Wing commander. "We've been through a few difficult years of budget and manning uncertainties. We're extremely happy at the prospect of gaining the tankers."

The unit is one of only three across the command slated to add a mission under the force structure changes Air Force officials presented to Congress this week.

"Whenever possible the Air Force leveraged opportunities to rebalance personnel and force structure into the Reserve Component. For that reason, at most Reserve Component locations where we divested aircraft, we replaced existing flying missions with a new mission and preserved the majority of the manpower to ease the transition," said Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah Lee James, in an Air Force website article posted today.

The 940th Wing, a classic associate unit at Beale, has provided command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as mission support, since July 2009. This past fiscal year, the wing's two intelligence squadrons were realigned under a new intelligence group. The reserve unit's Global Hawk squadron is still slated for deactivation in September.

Historically, the 940th Wing flew the KC-135 Stratotanker for more than three decades until the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission re-missioned the unit. An air refueling wing since 1977, the unit moved from Mather AFB, Calif., to McClellan AFB, Calif., in 1993, and then here in 1998.

The Air Force's proposed FY15 force structure plan balances capability, readiness and capacity and prioritizes global, long-range capabilities and multi-role platforms required to operate in a highly contested environment, according to Air Force officials.

The proposed force structure changes ensure the Air Force Reserve remains an integrated, flexible and combat-ready force, said Brig. Gen. William "Buck" Waldrop, director of plans, programs, requirements and assessments for Air Force Reserve Command.

"The men and women of the 940th Wing are proud to continue a heritage of dedicated service to our nation here in Northern California," said Cavanagh. "The Reserve Command's proposal to bring the tankers back to this unit is a testament to the outstanding community support for this base and recognition of the commitment of the citizen airmen who serve here, along with their families and civilian employers."