Texas Air National Guard

The Texas Air National Guard is composed of Airmen and officers assigned to three flying wings and three geographically separated units (GSUs) throughout Texas.

From 2001 through 2007, elements of every Air National Guard unit in Texas were activated in support of the Global War on Terror. Flight crews, aircraft maintenance personnel, communications technicians, air controllers and air security personnel deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Qatar, Israel and other locations throughout the Southwest Asia. Additionally, in 2005 elements of all the units were activated to provide relief after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita

Units of the Texas Air National Guard

Texas Air National Guard Headquarters

The Texas Air National Guard Headquarters at Camp Mabry in Austin includes the state headquarters staff whose mission is to provide command and control of Texas Air Guard units.

136th Airlift Wing

The 136th Airlift Wing in Fort Worth flies C-130 cargo aircraft carrying personnel and equipment around the world. The 531st Air Force Band is co-located with the 136th Airlift Wing.

147th Reconnaissance Wing

The 147th Reconnaissance Wing, headquartered in Houston on the Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, provides a worldwide deployable reconnaissance capability in the Air Sovereignty Alert mission.

111th Fighter Squadron

The 111th Fighter Squadron is attached to the 147th Fighter Wing. The Squadron flys the Block 25 F-16C Fighting Falcon dual-role fighter.

149th Fighter Wing

The 149th Fighter Wing is headquartered in San Antonio on Lackland Air Force Base. The fighter wing is assigned to the US Air Forces Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and is one of the primary "school houses" for F-16 pilots.

182d Fighter Squadron

The 182nd Fighter Squadron is attached to the 149th Fighter Wing. The Squadron flys the Block 30 F-16C/D Fighting Falcon dual-role fighter.

204th Security Forces Squadron

The 204th Security Forces Squadron located at Biggs Army Airfield, Fort Bliss, El Paso. They are the only heavy weapons security forces unit in the Air National Guard. Since September 11, 2001 attacks, members of the 204th SFS have seen duty in central and southwest Asia, in Africa and even onboard ship in the Persian Gulf. They have served on installations in several states in the U.S. and taught military base defense in Latin American countries. The unit still has members serving in the Iraq area of operations as part of Aerospace Expeditionary Forces.

221st Combat Communications Squadron

The 221st Combat Communications Squadron is co-located in Garland with their command unit, the 254th Combat Communications Group. The function of the 221st Combat Communications Squadron is to provide communications in a deployed environment. Such requirements may include establishing a Local Area Network, Telephone Network, Wide Area Network, and Radio Communications. All this while ensuring reliable connectivity for those parties serviced and maintaining mission effectiveness.

254th Combat Communications Group

The 254th Combat Communications Group is located in Garland and provides worldwide command, control, communications and computer (C4) systems, information management and combat support critical to war fighting capabilities. The 254th's primary mission is to provide planning and engineering for Combat Communications Squadrons that provide tactical (high-frequency radio, telephone, satellite and network) communications and terminal air traffic control services to support emergency U.S. Air Force requirements. The 254th provides a staff element for management of communications personnel and equipment when deployed in support of Air Force missions worldwide in locations where these capabilities don't exist, and are prepared to do so under hostile conditions and during peacetime as well. The 254th commands six squadrons across Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana - the 221st and 236th Combat Communications Squadrons and the 205th, 214th, 219th and 272nd Engineering and Installation Squadrons.

272d Engineering Installation Squadron

The 272d Engineering Installation Squadron, headquartered in La Porte, provides worldwide engineering, installation and relocation of command, control, communications, computers and intelligence systems.

Air Division

The Air Division [http://www.txsg.state.tx.us/air/pr/index.html] of the Texas State Guard directlysupports and extends the mission and operations of the Texas Air National Guard and serves the State of Texas directly as a volunteer command in the Texas Military Forces. Air Division units are embedded with their parent Texas Air National Guard units in San Antonio, Austin, Ft. Worth, Garland, Houston and La Porte.

Notable former personnel

* First Lieutenant George W. Bush
* Congressman Charlie Gonzalez
* Brigadier General David Lee "Tex" Hill
* Congressman Ron Paul

External links

;Official sites
* [http://www.agd.state.tx.us/air/airindexframe.htm Texas Air National Guard]
* [http://www.txkell.ang.af.mil/history/history.htm 149th Fighter Wing ]
* [https://www.txelli.ang.af.mil/ 147th Fighter Wing]