We are proud of our 100 year history and it is a privilege to serve our community, state and nation.

We are dedicated to protecting our nation and helping our communities in times of need.

We are committed to supporting military operations throughout the world.

#GuardInCommunity

#InThisTogether

#TogetherAL

#GuardItAL

#117ARW

The Alabama National Guard can rapidly respond to crises like the COVID-19 pandemic – Less time and distance = More lives saved.

The 117 ARW trains in rigorous and realistic venues to conduct aviation, medical, engineering, logistics and other life-saving tasks.

The Alabama National Guard response forces are designed to put the right life-saving capabilities on the ground at the right time to support local and state authorities.

This is not a new mission for the 117 ARW. We have long had the mission of supporting civil authorities in responding to disasters and training for large scale homeland response.

Always Ready, Always There

Knowledge & Information

   Priorities - The health and safety of our Airmen, families, friends and neighbors; ensuring we are mission ready and supporting our state and federal partners.

  Support – Currently, Alabama Guard members are assisting in medical and logistical support operations and planning. As always, the 117 ARW is on standby for additional support requests from Alabama Emergency Management Agency. Up to date support information is found at www.facebook.com/117ARW

  Communication – In order to protect operational security as we preserve the nation's combat readiness, the 117 ARW and the other military services will only provide total numbers of service members in isolation, quarantine, or possibly infected with COVID-19 at the service level.

  Also, using social media and public communication sources the 117 ARW is combating false information and rumors, while still remaining OPSEC-minded. You can help by reposting good information and challenging rumors. For example:

NO discussion of a nation-wide quarantine

NO the Department of Homeland Security cannot mobilize the Air or Army National Guard

YES the Army and Air Guard is responding in coordination with Alabama Emergency Management Agency

YES our long-standing state and federal partnership help ensure a rapid and unified response.

For 7% of the Air Force budget, the Air National Guard provides 19% of the Air Force’s total personnel and 

30-40% of the Air Force fighter, tanker and airlift capacity 

An “as needed” force, the National Guard’s community-based, part-time structure offers myriad savings 

(nearly 85% of NG is part-time)

     Fewer pay days per year 

Lower medical costs

     Lower retirement expenditures

     Significantly lower training costs beyond initial qualification training

     Virtually no cost for moving families and household goods to new duty stations

     Fewer entitlements, such as housing and food allowances

     Lower base support costs in terms of services and facilities such as housing and child care facilities

           For the cost of one active duty service member, our Nation can train, retain and deploy three National Guard Soldiers or Airmen 

           Much of the National Guard’s dual-use equipment can be employed for federal and domestic missions 

           The ANG operates for less than two cents of every dollar spent on defense

Always Ready, Always There

There are over 6,800 National Guard members supporting domestic

            operations in the United States

           More than 2,100 Air Guard members are protecting America’s air space supporting Aerospace Control

         Alert missions

           More than 1,050 Army and Air National Guard members serving on the Southwest Border

           350 Guard members providing counter drug support in the SWB states

           96 percent of all emergencies in the United States are handled by civil authorities or the National Guard

The 117th Air Refueling Wing can trace its roots back to a World War I era flying club. The Birmingham Flying Club, also known as the Escadrille's, was the seventh federally recognized flying squadron on January 21, 1922 by the United States War Department. "Maj. James A. Meissner, a World War I ace who had flown with Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, led the effort to form the unit and served as its first commander."*

During World War II the observation mission expanded to include fighters and bombers. After WWII the squadron was re-organized into the 117th Fighter Group, which quickly became the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. In 1994, the unit began flying the KC-135R Stratotankers and was re-designated as the 117th Air Refueling Wing.

Lineage of Aircraft*
1918-- 1-A-2
1922-1933-- JN-4, JN-6, DH-4, TW-3, PT-1, BT-1, O-2, O-11, and O-17
1933-1941-- O-38
1938-1942-- O-47
1941-1942-- O-49, A-20, and P-40
1942-- P-39, P-43, O-46, L-3, and L-4
1943-1945-- B-25
1946-1957-- B/RB-26
1957-1971-- RF-84
1971-1994-- RF-4
1994-Present-- KC-135

* A CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD AND ITS ANTECEDENTS, JANUARY
* "Lineage and Honors History of the 106th Air Refueling Squadron (ANG)" by SSgt Matthew Scales