Fini flight ends Niagara Guard-Reserve C-130 association

by Public Affairs
914th Airlift Wing

9/26/2014 - NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. -- Airmen in the 107th Airlift Wing flew their final C-130 flight here, Sept. 25, ending a seven-year Air Reserve Component combat delivery association between the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

The New York Air National Guard unit will transition to flying remotely piloted aircraft as a result of recent force structure changes.

This is the third mission change for the ANG unit since the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission decision to transition the unit from flying the KC-135 tanker aircraft to flying C-130s with the Air Force Reserve's 914th Airlift Wing under a Reserve Associate structure. Both wings flew and maintained Reserve-owned C-130 airframes during the association.

"The 107th and 914th Airlift Wings as an association here had several great years together as partners in the mission," said Col. John Higgins, 107th Airlift Wing commander.

Guardsman Lt. Col. Buff Hoffman, 328th Airlift Squadron chief of Standards and Evaluation, said the association was a success between the wings because of the hard work of Guard and Reserve Airmen at all levels.

Higgins and Hoffman, who were on the final flight, said many of the Airmen flying were sad about ending the association and flying the C-130, however, they are happy to move forward and take on another mission.