19 | Georgia Department of Defense

High deployment tempo, significant organizational changes and new state leadership underscored 2011 as a year of change for the 2,900 Airmen of the Georgia Air National Guard. Five of the Georgia Air Guard’s 10 operational units deployed personnel and equipment throughout the year in support of Operations New Dawn, Odyssey Dawn, Unified Protector, and Enduring Freedom in addition to the units’ Air Expeditionary Force taskings. Although force draw-downs appear imminent due to fiscal constraints and conflict resolutions, the Georgia Air Guard’s core missions are still in high demand. We are committed to our vision of developing top-tier Airmen and units to protect our nation across the spectrum of conflict and to protect its citizens from natural and man-made disasters with our joint services and interagency partners.

Our largest unit, the 116th Air Control Wing (ACW) based at Robins AFB, flying the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft, has continuously deployed aircraft and personnel in Southwest Asia for the last 10 years, amassing more than 82,000 combat flying hours. The 165th Airlift Wing based in Savannah, flying the C-130H aircraft, has deployed aircraft and personnel to Iraq and Afghanistan, on average, every 18 months. In 2011 alone, the 165th airlifted over 5,600 tons of cargo and flew 1,500 combat sorties. Our geographically separated units continued their support of the Global War on Terror in 2011. The 165th Air Support Operations Squadron provided Joint Terminal Attack Controllers to multiple Army Infantry Brigade Combat Teams, ensuring timely and efficient air response to imminent

threats. Members of Brunswick’s 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron joined the Joint Communications Support Element, providing rapidly deployable tactical communications to multiple locations throughout Southwest Asia. The 202nd Engineering Installation Squadron also deployed to Southwest Asia in 2011 for six months to support Joint Task Force Expeditionary and Air Expeditionary communication infrastructure taskings.

The Georgia Air National Guard saw the end of the blended wing concept in 2011. For a nine-year span, the 116th ACW operated as the only blended wing in the Air Force’s “Total Force Initiative.” The wing accomplished its unique JSTARS mission with unparalleled results, realizing many organizational synergies; however, many challenges remain. In the end, the time-tested model of active association between Air National Guard and Active Duty Air Force personnel proved the best solution. As a result, a new active duty associate wing called the 461st Air Control Wing was formed Sept. 30, 2011. As an active associate wing, the 116th has the principal responsibility for the weapon system, but both wings operate together as “Team JSTARS” accomplishing the mission, integrating Guard and active duty personnel and functioning as one team.

All units of the Georgia Air Guard continue to play an active role in supporting Georgia’s homeland defense and defense support to civil authorities missions. By providing unique capabilities – such as information awareness assessment, engineering, airlift and communications support – the Georgia Air Guard is well positioned to meet the growing demands of civil authorities. Our Airmen train regularly during exercises with the Georgia National Guard’s 78th

Homeland Response Force, the 4th Civil Support Team, the Chemical, Biological, Radiological/Nuclear, and Explosive enterprise, FEMA Region IV, other FEMA regions, and with our partners in the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.

Our dual status, with responsibilities to the state and federal government, makes our mission unique and provides the flexibility for both local and global response. In these times of fiscal constraint, we are expected to do more with less. However, as we have done countless times in the past, we will continue to provide highly motivated mission-ready forces for employment by the Governor and the United States Department of Defense.

Your Georgia Air National Guard is “Always Ready, Always There, Always on Target.”

Chief Master Sgt. Donald M. CampState Command ChiefGa. Air National Guard

Maj. Gen. Thomas R. MooreCommanderGa. Air National Guard

2011 Annual Report | 20

Georgia Air National Guard