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  • New mission support group commander brings vast experience

    Colonel David J. Ciesielski assumed command of the 161st Mission Support Group at Sky Harbor Air National Guard Base, Dec. 6, during the December unit training assembly.Ciesielski, who was promoted to colonel before the change of command ceremony, previously served as the 161st Force Support

  • Arizona's Tanker wing welcomes new commander

    Col. Troy Daniels assumed command of the 161st Air Refueling Wing from Col. Gary Brewer, Jr., during a change of command ceremony Dec. 5 at Phoenix Air National Guard Base.A change of command is one of the rare moments in a military career where both the outgoing and incoming commanders receive

  • Photo feature: Arizona tankers, NATO E-3s connect over Germany

    Photos worth 1,000 words are an efficient way to capture the delicate skill and dedicated teamwork required to transfer 40,000 pounds of fuel from one aircraft to another at 28,000 feet.Arizona Air National Guard Airmen and KC-135 Stratotankers from Phoenix are flying with NATO E-3A Sentry aircraft

  • Arizona Air Guard keeps NATO flying

    Arizona Airmen and tankers are flying with NATO E-3A Sentry aircraft and aircrews this month to fine tune the in-flight skills needed to pass fuel from KC-135 Stratotankers to the relatively large surveillance aircraft.More than 20 pilots, boom operators, maintainers, and support experts, along with

  • 161 ARW aircrew survives aircraft emergency situation - wins AFCENT award

    An aircrew from 161st Air Refueling Wing, comprised of a pilot, co-pilot and boom operator, recently won the Air Forces Central Command Outstanding Aircrew award while deployed with the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar for preventing the catastrophic loss of a

  • Meet Arizona's next air refueling wing commander

    The men and women of the Arizona Air National Guard's 161st Air Refueling Wing will welcome their new commander during a change of command ceremony scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Dec. 5, at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Air National Guard Base.Col. Tupper Daniels will serve as the KC-135 Stratotanker unit's

  • Now accepting nominations for 2016 Employer Support Freedom Award

    Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense office, is now accepting nominations for the 2016 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.The Freedom Award is the nation's highest honor presented to civilian employers for exceptional support of their National Guard and

  • Wing kicks off 2015 Combined Federal Campaign

    The 2015 Combined Federal Campaign is in full swing and will remain open for contributions until Dec. 15. This year's theme is, "You can change a life."The CFC is the world's largest and most successful workplace giving campaign. Since its creation in 1961 it has raised over $7 billion for charities

  • Tempe Chamber of Commerce honors Copperheads

    The Tempe Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee recognized this year's recipients of the Truman Young and Donald Plough Memorial Awards during a ceremony here Oct. 14.Master Sgt. Jesse Bautista, the wing's assistant inspector general superintendent, received the Tech. Sgt. Donald Plough

  • ‘Combat dining-in’ tradition takes off in Arizona

    Armed with water-based weapons and liberally modified uniforms, Airmen from the 161st Air Refueling Wing participated in the wing's first-ever combat dining-in here Sept. 12.  The combat dining-in is a time-honored Air Force tradition that is seeing resurgence across the Air National Guard.Squadrons