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  • Lt. Col. Brian Freeman, aircraft commander, talks aviation with Lieutenant H. Murst Dogan of the Turkish Air Force. Flying organizations from countried all over the globe get together at the Royal International Air Tattoo Air Show. The C-130J-30 of the Air Force Reserve 815th Airlift Squadron "Flying Jennies" will be showcased at Air Tattoo, located in RAF Fairford, England. More than 150,000 visitors are expected to tour the aircraft at Air Tattoo. "We are excited about the opportunity to share the C-130J and the mission of the Air Force Reserve here at Air Tattoo.

    Flying Jennies Meet and Greet at Air Tattoo

  • The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" are ready to fly into the 2007 Hurricane Season. The Air Force Reserve squadron is part of the 403rd Wing at Keesler AFB, Miss. This year, the planes will be equipped with the Stepped-Frequency Microwave Radiometer, which continuously measures the wind speed at the surface. The data collected by the Hurricane Hunters increase the accuracy of the National Hurricane Center Forecast by 30 percent. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. James B. Pritchett)

    Hurricane Hunters Fly First Storm Mission

    As the Hurricane Hunters of the Air Force Reserve prepared to fly the first storm tasking of the 2008 Hurricane season early Friday morning, Category 1 Hurricane Bertha, with winds of 85 mph, was centered about 350 miles south southeast of Bermuda, moving northwest at around 7 mph. Assigned to the 403rd Wing here, Citizen Airmen of the 53rd Weather
  • Flown by the 815th Airlift Squadron, the C-130J-30 is a combat-proven intratheater airlifter admired by commanders for its ability to carry larger loads farther, higher and faster. The stretched version of the C-130-J can carry 128 combat troops instead of a standard C-130J's 92, and 92 paratroops instead of 64. It can carry eight standard 463L pallets rather than six, 97 medical litters instead of 74, and 24 CDS (container delivery system) bundles instead of 16. The stretched C-130J is capable of un-refueled flights of 4,000 miles. A close formation of 31 of these extended C-130Js can drop 2,800 troops-an entire Army brigade-in less than five minutes. The stretched C-130Js are the first to be equipped with a computer-controlled Enhanced Cargo Handling System allowing "precise airdrop event sequencing and quick conversion from cargo floor tie-downs to rollers for palletized cargo."

    Flying Jennies Showcase at Air Tattoo, Farnborough

    The Air Force Reserve's 815th Airlift Squadron "Flying Jennies" of the 403rd Wing flying the C-130J-30 aircraft will be showcased at the 2008 Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford, England, July 12-13 and the 2008 Farnborough International Air Show at Farnborough Airfield, Hampshire, England, July 14-20. This will be the first airshow the
  • Former Tuskegee Airman, Lt. Col. Walter "A-Train" Dryden passed away June 24 in Atlanta, GA from natural causes. Col. Dryden, pictured, visited with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" of the Air Force Reserve 403rd Wing in 2005 in the wake of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. The Atlanta chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen donated money to the Katrina Relief Fund of the 403rd Wing. Dryden is survived by his wife, three sons and five grandchildren.

    Friend of the Reserve, Legend Passes

    Lt. Col. Charles Walker Dryden, aviation legend of the Tuskegee Airmen, died June 24, 2008 of natural causes at the age of 87 in Atlanta, Ga. As boy, he dreamed of flying planes and learned to fly before he could drive a car, but the color of his skin almost kept him from realizing his dream. Colonel Dryden's determination led him to his
  • KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Lt. Col. Louis Patriquin (right) takes the reigns as the new commander for the 403rd Operations Group at a change of command ceremony held Saturday of the June Unit Training Assembly, replacing Col. Jay Jensen, who will be commanding the 315th Operations Group at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. Before joining the 403rd Wing, Colonel Patriquin served as the deputy commander for the 512th Operations Group, Dover AFB, Del. The colonel stressed the need for reservists to focus on the Air Force mission, especially in this day and age when "the eyes of American are truly upon us." He believes that our Citizen Airman can better accomplish this goal by putting three main points into practice: taking care of our families, keeping our employers informed, and embracing the professions we choose to pursue in the Reserve. "The beauty of the Air Force Reserve is that we are here because we want to be here," said Patriquin. "It is our choice, and one that we should embrace." (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. Ryan Labadens)

    New Ops Commander Takes Charge

  • Col. Terry L. Ross, 11th Wing vice commander, speaks to an Indiana, Penn., crowd during a Jimmy Stewart Centenniel Celebration May 24. The famed actor flew bombing missions in World War II and became a brigadier general in the Air Force Reserve. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dan DeCook)

    An Angel Gets Its Wings - 403rd Flyover Honors Jimmy Stewart

    Bolling Air Force Base and Air Force Reserve Command members participated in a centennial celebration May 24 in General Stewart's hometown of Indiana, Pa. which was capped off with a flyover by the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" of the 403rd Wing.Actor James M. Stewart was a Hollywood legend who flew bomber missions with
  • Captain Mark Suckow, pilot for the 815th Airlift Squadron "Flying Jennies" waves the flag upon his return from the desert. The Flying Jennies and the "Spirit of Biloxi" aircraft returned home from the desert May 19. While deployed, the Jennies provided combat-multiplying capabilities to resupply forces, improved combatant commanders' airlift requirements and employment operations within the combat zone or forward areas, and when requested, provided aeromedical evacuation and augmented strategic airlift forces. Aircrews from the Air Force Reserve's 815th Airlift Squadron joined maintainers from the 403rd Maintenance Group and personnel from several support functions including Communications, Intelligence and others for the unit's second combat mission in Southwest Asia. U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. James B. Pritchett

    Flying Jennies Return From the Desert

  • KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Presenting the nieces of 2nd Lt. Samuel Reeves Keesler with a commemorative photo of the newly dedicated Spirit of Keesler WC-130J aircraft is Brig. Gen. Richard Moss, commander, 403rd Wing. Among the family members and descendants of Lieutenant Keesler who attended the ceremony were (from left) Clara Wise-Wolf, Charlot Morrison and Isabel Miller. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. Ryan Labadens)

    Wing Dedicates "Spirit of Keesler"

    A ceremony celebrating 35,000 hours flown by the 403rd Wing in the C-130J aircraft and the dedication of a WC-130J 'Hurricane Hunter' plane as the "Spirit of Keesler" was held here April 22. Brig. Gen. Richard Moss, commander, 403rd Wing, presided over the ceremony, which recognized the special bond between his Air Force Reserve unit, the active
  • KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Adrian Cronauer, best known as the inspiration for the character of the same name played by Robin Williams in the film "Good Morning, Vietnam" speaks with Citizen Airmen of the 403rd Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. Mr. Cronauer attended the Reserve unit's Commander's Call to speak to Airmen about theDefense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office where he works as the Special Assistant to the Director. He emphasized that the United States military strives to never leave a man behind. (USAF Photo/Tech.Sgt. James B. Pritchett)

    “Good Morning, Vietnam’s” Adrian Cronauer Speaks To Reservists

    Former U.S. Air Force sergeant, Adrian Cronauer, whose life was the inspiration for the major motion picture, Good Morning, Vietnam!, spoke to Citizen Airmen of the 403rd Wing Sunday at the unit's quarterly Commander's Call. Mr. Cronauer is now Special Assistant to the Director of the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office and serves as a
  • KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss.-- Master Sgt, Rafael Gonzalez kisses his son goodbye before boarding a C-130J-30 bound for Southwest Asia in support of the Global War on Terror. Sergeant Gonzalez is a client support technician assigned to the 403rd Communications Flight. The 403rd Wing deployed two of its tactical airlift aircraft assigned to the 815th Airlift Squadron along with more than 60 Citizen Airmen this morning. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. James B. Pritchett)

    Flying Jennies Deploy to Support Global War on Terror

    It was dark and frigid on the Mississippi Gulf Coast this morning as Citizen Airmen began arriving at the Keesler Deployment Facility ready to deploy in support of the Global War on Terror. Aircrews from the Air Force Reserve's 815th Airlift Squadron joined maintainers from the 403rd Maintenance Group and personnel from several support functions
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