Air Mobility Command

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Air Mobility Command


caption=Air Mobility Command emblem
dates= 1 June 1992-Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type= Major Command
role=
size=
command_structure=
current_commander= General Arthur J. Lichte
garrison= Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= AMC
patron=
motto= Unrivaled Global Reach for America...Always!
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
anniversaries=

Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis. [http://www.amc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=229 Air Mobility Command Fact Sheet] ]

The commander of AMC is General Arthur J. Lichte, with [http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5413 Lt. Gen. Vern M. "Rusty" Findley II] as Vice-commander, and [http://www.amc.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=8445 Chief Master Sergeant Joseph E. Barron] as Command Chief Master Sergeant.

Mission

Air Mobility Command's mission is to deliver maximum war-fighting and humanitarian effects for America through rapid and precise global air mobility. The command also plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian support at home and around the world. AMC Airmen--active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and civilians--provide airlift and aerial refueling for all of America's armed forces. Many special duty and operational support aircraft and stateside aeromedical evacuation missions are also assigned to AMC.

U.S. forces must be able to provide a rapid, tailored response with a capability to intervene against a well-equipped foe, hit hard and terminate quickly. Rapid global mobility lies at the heart of U.S. strategy in this environment--without the capability to project forces, there is no conventional deterrent. As U.S. forces stationed overseas continue to decline, global interests remain, making the unique capabilities only AMC can provide even more in demand.

Air Mobiity Command also has the mission of establishing bare air bases in contingencies. To accomplish this mission, AMC established two Contingency Response Wings, and operates the Eagle Flag exercise. [http://www.amc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=229 Air Mobility Command Fact Sheet] ]

Overview

Air Mobility Command was activated in June 1992 primarily from the transport assets of the inactivated Military Airlift Command (MAC). It later acquired the aerial refueling assets of the inactivated Strategic Air Command (SAC).

AMC is the Air Force component of United States Transportation Command, and provides airlift, special missions, aerial refueling, and aeromedical evacuation for U.S. troops. It also provides alert aerial refueling aircraft to the United States Strategic Command, and is a provider of theater airlift, aerial refueling, and aeromedical evacuation forces to regional Unified Commands. AMC also operates VIP flights such as Air Force One.

Aircraft assets of the command include: C-17 Globemaster III, C-5 Galaxy, C-130 Hercules, KC-135 Stratotanker, and KC-10 Extender. Additional long-range airlift aircraft are available during national emergencies through the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, a fleet of commercial aircraft committed to support the transportation of military forces and material in times of crisis.

AMC Wings and Groups

The Air Mobility Command consists of the following units: [http://www.amc.af.mil/units/ Air Mobility Command Units] ]
* Air Mobility Wings: 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida : 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis AFB, California: 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire AFB, New Jersey

* Airlift Wings and Groups: 43d Airlift Wing at Pope AFB, North Carolina: 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord AFB, Washington: 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews AFB, Maryland: 375th Airlift Wing at Scott AFB, Illinois: 436th Airlift Wing at Dover AFB, Delaware: 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston AFB, South Carolina: 317th Airlift Group at Dyess AFB, Texas: 463d Airlift Group at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas:: (Will be redesignated as 19th Airlift Wing on 1 October, 2008.)
* Bands: [http://www.bandofmidamerica.af.mil USAF Band of Mid-America] : [http://www.bandofthegoldenwest.af.mil USAF Band of the Golden West]

* Tanker Wings and Groups: 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell AFB, Kansas: 92d Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild AFB, Washington: 319th Air Refueling Wing at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota: 19th Air Refueling Group at Robins AFB, Georgia

* Other AMC Organizations : Eighteenth Air Force:: 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force::: 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing:: 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force::: 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing: 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center: United States Air Force Expeditionary Center: Fourth Air Force (Air Force Reserve units): Twenty-Second Air Force (Air Force Reserve units): [http://amcmuseum.org Air Mobility Command Museum]

In addition to these active-duty and Air Force Reserve Command units, numerous Air National Guard Air Refueling Wings (ARW) and Airlift Wings (AW), equippred with C-5, KC-135 and C-130 aircraft are part of AMC. These units exercise frequently and are activated to federal service and deployed as part of AMC in Air Expeditionary Groups and Wings as directed by HQ AMC.

History

Lineage

* Established as Air Mobility Command, and activated, on 1 Jul 1992.

Assignments

* Headquarters, United States Air Force, 1 Jul 1992 - Present

tations

* Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, 1 Jun 1992 - Present

Major Components

Air Forces
* Fifteenth, 1 Jun 1992 - 1 Oct 2003: Redesignated: 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, 1 Oct 2003 - Present
* Eighteenth, 1 Oct 2003 - Present
* Twenty-First, 1 Jun 1992 - 1 Oct 2003, 1 Oct 2003 - Present: Redesignated: 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, 1 Oct 2003 - Present
* Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 Jun 1992 - 1 Jul 1993.

Centers
* Air Mobility Command Tanker Airlift Control, 1 Jun 1992 - 1 Oct 2003
* USAF Air Mobility School (later, Air Mobility Warfare Center), 1 Jun 1992 - 1 Oct 2003

Services
* Air Combat Camera, 1 Jun 1992-1 Oct 1994
* Air Rescue, 1 Jun 1992-1 Feb 1993
* Defense Courier, 15 Oct 1998-1 Oct 2004.

source for lineage, assignments, stations, components [http://www.afhra.af.mil Air Force Historical Research Agency website] ]

Operational History

Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992. It was formed from elements of the inactivated Military Airlift Command (MAC) and Strategic Air Command (SAC). AMC melded a worldwide airlift system (MAC) with a tanker force (SAC) that had been freed from its commitments by the collapse of the Soviet Union. [http://www.amc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=229 Air Mobility Command Fact Sheet] ]

AMC has undergone considerable change since its establishment. Focusing on the core mission of strategic air mobility, the command divested itself of infrastructure and forces not directly related to Global Reach. The Air Rescue Service, intratheater aeromedical airlift forces based overseas and much of the operational support airlift fleet were transferred to other commands. However, KC-10 Extender and most KC-135 Stratotanker air refueling aircraft initially assigned to Air Combat Command were transferred to AMC, along with Grand Forks AFB, McConnell AFB and Fairchild AFB. [http://www.amc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=229 Air Mobility Command Fact Sheet] ]

As a result of the Global War on Terrorism, on 1 Oct 2003, AMC underwent a major restructuring, bringing a war fighting role to its numbered air force. AMC reactivated Eighteenth Air Force (18 AF) and established it as its main war fighting force. As subordinate components of 18 AF, AMC redesignated its two former numbered air forces as Expeditionary Mobility Task Forces (EMTF). Fifteenth Air Force was redesignated as the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, headquartered at Travis AFB, and Twenty-First Air Force was redesignated as the 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force (21 EMTF), headquartered at McGuire AFB. [http://www.amc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=229 Air Mobility Command Fact Sheet] ]

AMC's ability to provide global reach is tested daily. From providing fuel, supplies and aeromedical support to troops on the frontline of the Global War on Terrorism, to providing humanitarian supplies to hurricane, flood, and earthquake victims both at home and abroad, AMC has been engaged in almost nonstop operations since its inception. Command tankers and airlifters have supported peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, Cambodia, Somalia, Rwanda and Haiti, and continue to play a vital role in the ongoing Global War on Terrorism. These many examples of the effective application of non-lethal air power indicate that air mobility is a national asset of growing importance for responding to emergencies and protecting national interests around the globe. [http://www.amc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=229 Air Mobility Command Fact Sheet] ]

ee also

* Predecessor Organizations:: Military Airlift Command: Strategic Air Command

References

External links

* [http://www.amc.af.mil/ Air Mobility Command home page]