BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- It's official. The 45th Fighter Squadron is the unit designation for the new A-10 classic associate unit at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
The 45th FS, assigned to Air Force Reserve Command's 917th Operations Group here, will fly with the Regular Air Force's 355th Fighter Wing. The squadron will support A-10 pilot training, according to Col. Ozzie Gorbitz, 917th OG commander.
After a site activation task force visit in January, Lt. Cols. Rod Glass and Terry McClain, senior leaders in the squadron, began laying the groundwork to develop a 24-person team.
"Building a unit from scratch has its challenges," said Colonel Gorbitz. "They are establishing processes and procedures, writing a host/tenant agreement, and building flight records...all from the ground up.
"This will be a Reserve association, where reservists will associate (directly) with active duty," he said. "We're taking lessons learned from other associate units."
Colonel Glass said, "This total force integration initiative will provide highly skilled and experienced Hawgdrivers, who want to leave active duty but not the mission. This will give them the option to do so in the reserve component."
Colonels Glass and McClain are in the process of hiring their first four A-10 instructor pilots and one administration support person. According to Colonel Glass, they hope to have their full staff of 24 people on board in the next three years.
"This TFI is about building relationships with people of two different viewpoints. The goals are common. We must learn how to communicate them," Colonel Gorbitz said.
A formal squadron activation ceremony is set for September. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)
USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)