507th Air Refueling Wing

Colonel Gregory L. Ferguson, 137th Air Refueling Wing commander and Col. Jeffery R. Glass, 507th Air Refueling Wing commander look over the floor plan design for a new joint use squadron operations building to be used by both wings. Both were attending a groundbreaking ceremony on Tinker Air Force Base yesterday for new $8 million facility. The 137th ARW, and Oklahoma Air National Guard wing, and the 507th ARW, an Air Force Reserve Command wing began joint associate unit operations last January. This represents the first time an ANG wing has been associated with an AFRC wing.

Air refuelers break ground for joint use facility

Published Sept. 9, 2008
By Lt. Col. Rich Curry
507th Air Refueling Wing

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Total Force Integration took another major step here Sept. 8 in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new joint squadron operations facility.

The 25,000-square foot facility will cost more than $8 million to build. When completed in December 2009, it will house joint operational offices for air refueling wings from the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard.

"We are all happy this day has finally come," said Col. Jeffery R. Glass, 507th Air Refueling Wing commander. "With this groundbreaking today, we are taking one more step towards an exciting new level of joint operations."

The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process directed the Air National Guard's former 137th Airlift Wing to convert to the KC-135R Stratotanker and establish an air reserve component associate unit partnership with the Air Force Reserve's 507th Air Refueling Wing.

Under this arrangement, the 507th ARW is the host wing with all 12 aircraft assigned to it. The Oklahoma ANG unit will help fly and maintain the air refueling aircraft.

For deployable tasking, both units will function as six primary aircraft assigned wings.

The 507th ARW became the first AFRC wing to have an ANG wing associated with it in January.

At that time, the 507th ARW's 465th Air Refueling Squadron was already in line to receive funds to build a new squadron operations facility. Rather than building two smaller, separate facilities, Air Force officials decided to seek authorization for a larger, combined facility. The joint use facility includes briefing rooms, training and testing areas, a locker room, a shower area and a joint auditorium.

"By combining funding sources and mutual joint use aspects, we are able to get a facility that will better satisfy the operational needs for both squadrons," said Joe Wade, 507th ARW facility program manager. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)