Page 14 - Desert Lightning News 6-3-16

14 June 3, 2016 Desert Lightning News
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162nd Wing celebrates 60 years; a militaryFacebook.com/DesertLightningNews legacy continues

Tech. Sgt. Erich B. Smith

162nd Wing Public A airs

TUCSON, Ariz. -- On any giv- (U.S. Air National Guard Photo/162nd Wing Historian’s O ce)
en day, F-16 Fighting Falcons zip
through the southern Arizona skies Before there were Fighting Falcons in the desert, there were Sabres in the sky. In this photograph, taken in the late-1950s, a pilot stands by his F-86A
- their pilots perfecting their skills - Sabre, the rst jet in what was then the 152nd Interceptor Squadron’s inventory.
showcasing military readiness thou-
sands of feet above the desert. ceptor Squadron. He would go on to and his uncle Daniel. with a “Fly, Fight and Win” mental-
serve as the unit’s commander for e more permanent nature of ity - supporting each other, uphold-
It’s a reoccurring scene similar to 15 years, later earning his first star ing their oaths, maintaining assets
what an observer might have expe- as the commanding general for the Air National Guard personnel al- and resources and employing mili-
rienced in 1956 - the birth year of Arizona National Guard, culminat- lows for greater knowledge of all tary hardware.
what is now the 162nd Wing - when ing with high-level positions within things specific to the wing, especial-
the F-86A Sabre and the F-100 Su- the Air Force Southern Command ly in the maintenance field. “ e Air National Guard in Tuc-
per Sabre epitomized air power for and Europe Command before his son has always been on the cutting
Arizona and America. retirement in 1983. Senior Master Sgt. Shawn Bil- edge of military technology,” said Lt.
low, a production superintendent Col. Brian J. Grasky, commander of
But today, some of the Fighting In a recent interview, Morris ex- at the 148th Aircraft Maintenance the 214th Reconnaissance Group,
Falcons are now manned by stu- plained his decision to return to the Unit, landed gainful, full-time em- pointing to how the “MQ-1 Preda-
dent-pilots of allied nations, eager town that embraced his military ployment with the wing nearly 30 tor is providing new capabilities that
to showcase their abilities under legacy: “It’s the love of the people years ago, describing it as “hitting truly add value to the fight, just as the
the expert guidance of instructor who started their military careers at the jackpot.” F-100 Super Sabre was an impressive
pilots. e seemingly never-ending the unit. It’s the camaraderie.” offering during the ‘Jet Age.’”
demand for global intelligence and “I was lucky to be on the ground
surveillance initiatives that only a While military bloodlines are floor when the Fighting Falcons got “We understand our heritage, and
remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) can common in the armed forces, the here. As a group, we learned the take great pride in it. Over the past
provide keep the 214th Reconnais- natural stability and security of an technical orders and the job guides 60 years, Arizona Guardsmen have
sance Group busy. And ten miles Air National Guard wing attracts associated with the aircraft, getting built the 162nd into the biggest and
to the east, the 162nd Wing keeps generations of Old Pueblo “locals.” to know everything unique about best Air National Guard fighter and
a detachment at Davis-Monthan its airframe - inside and out,” Bil- RPA wing in the nation,” said Brig.
Air Force Base, providing support “ is wing is really our very own low said. “As we progressed, we Gen. Phil Purcell, wing commander
for visiting pilots while fulfilling family business,” said Airman 1st were able to pass on a wealth of for the 162nd Wing. “Our Airmen
the traditional “Minuteman” role to Class Christian Ferreira, a main- experience to that next group of here are proud to be a part of that
state and country by means of an tenance planning and scheduling young maintainers.” legacy, and they are absolutely criti-
alert detachment. specialist, referring to how he cur- cal to shaping our future and con-
rently serves with his brother, Greg, As 2016 will be a year of recogni- tinued success.”
“While the missions and plat- his sister, Vanessa, his father Joseph tion and reflection at the wing, its
forms change over the years, the Guard Airmen will proceed forth
one constant is the outstanding pro-
fessionalism and unmatched tech-
nical abilities of our subject matter
experts,” said Maj. Gen. Michael T.
McGuire, the Adjutant General for
the Arizona National Guard, add-
ing that his time as the wing’s 11th
commander “taught me many of
the critical pieces of how we build a
great Air Force.”

Rare is it that modern-day orga-
nizations can have ties to its past, or
even its very beginnings. e 162nd
Wing, however, can make that claim
as its founding commander, retired
Maj. Gen. Donald E. Morris, still
calls Tucson home.

Morris was a 31-year-old ma-
jor based at Luke Air Force Base in
Glendale, Ariz., when he, along with
29 Airmen, made their way south to
a dirt field near the Tucson Airport
Authority to form the 152nd Inter-