Here are the most frequently asked questions we receive from visitors and callers. Check back for updated information. If you have a question directly related to the 403rd Wing that is not answered here, please contact the Public Affairs Office. You may also find the answer you are looking for by visiting the Questions page of Air Force Link. If you have a general military question, please refer to the Department of Defense Frequently Asked Questions page. 

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 Air Force Bases

How can I find a list of Air Force bases, both overseas and stateside?

For information about U.S. Air Force bases, access the Base Locator at https://www.airforce.com/lifestyle/locations 


 
 Air Force Song

I need to obtain the words to the Air Force song. Can you help me?

In 1938, Liberty magazine sponsored a contest for a spirited, enduring musical composition to become the official Army Air Corps song. Of 757 scores submitted, the one composed by Robert MacArthur Crawford (1899-1961) was selected by a committee of Air Force wives. The song (informally known as "The Air Force Song" but now formally titled "The U.S. Air Force") was officially introduced at the Cleveland Air Races on September 2, 1939. Fittingly, Crawford sang in its first public performance. 

The U.S. Air Force Song
Off we go into the wild blue yonder, 
Climbing high into the sun;
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder, 
At 'em now, Give 'em the gun!
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under,
Off with one helluva roar! 
We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey! 
Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!

Additional verses:

Brilliant minds fashioned a crate of thunder, 
Sent it high into the blue;
Valiant hands blasted the world asunder;
How they lived God only knew!
Boundless souls dreaming of skies to conquer 
Gave us wings, ever to soar! 
With scouts before And bombers galore. Hey! 
Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!

Bridge: "A Toast to the Host"

Here's a toast to the host
Of those who love the vastness of the sky,
To a friend we send a message of the brave who serve on high.
We drink to those who gave their all of old,
Then down we roar to score the rainbow's pot of gold.
A toast to the host of those we boast, the U.S. Air Force!

Zoom!

Off we go into the wild sky yonder, 
Keep the wings level and true; 
If you'd live to be a grey-haired wonder 
Keep the nose out of the blue!
Fly to fight, guarding the nation's border, 
We'll be there, followed by more! 
In echelon we carry on. Hey! 
Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!

 

You can click here to download the Air Force song  or go to the following web site: https://www.music.af.mil/

And for more information on the history of the Air Force song click here or go to the Library of Congress web site at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200000014/default.html

 Base Tours

403rd Wing Tour Information

Tours to the Air Force Reserve Command's 403rd Wing are offered on a noninterference, case-by-case basis to local civic organizations, schools and youth groups to educate its members about the United States Air Force Reserve and, more specifically, the mission of the 403rd Wing. To tour Keesler Air Force Base and the 81st Training Wing, please contact their public affairs office at 228-377-2783.

To request a tour, click here. Provide the number of tour participants, if there will be special guests or distinguished visitors, anyone with mobility restrictions, and if meals will be required. For instructions on how to fill out the form, please review below or call 228-377-2056.

Please note the following when submitting a group tour request:

  1. Age - For safety reasons, all participants must be at least 10 years old
  2. Size - Tours are limited to a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40 participants (or the passenger capacity of one commercial bus)
  3. Transportation - Organizations are responsible for their own transportation. Tours are limited to one busload. Unfortunately, requests to use multiple vehicles cannot be accommodated. Base tours are conducted on a limited basis due to our manning, resource availability and heightened security posture. A tour request does not guarantee a tour will be approved. All scheduled tours are subject to cancellation based on emergency situations, worldwide commitments, real world events, etc.

Priority scheduling will be given to Junior ROTC students and other youth groups serving high-school-age students with a recruitment potential. Civic and business organizations are also welcome to request tours to the 403rd Wing. Day care, elementary or middle-school-age groups are encouraged to request a speaker from our Speaker's Bureau program to schedule a multimedia presentation in their place of business.

Since limitations of time and money make it impossible to grant all requests, public affairs will take all appropriate requests into equal consideration and recommend approval based on common factors that are in the best interests of the Air Force and taxpayer.

Tours will be conducted on a noninterference basis only. Public Affairs is required to ensure there is minimal interference with normal training or operational activities, determine if it is economically feasible, and make sure appropriate resources are available. Requests for tours to the 403rd Wing will be handled on a case-by-case basis, but typically the Public Affairs Office cannot accommodate personal tours for friends, family members or those stopping through on vacation, regardless of current or prior military service. However, if an individual has access to the base (a military or DOD civilian ID cardholder) one may visit Keesler Air Force Base. We also cannot accommodate tours to visit the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" from June 1-Nov. 30 due to mission requirements. Requests for tours must be made 30 days in advance, but since we are only able to accommodate two tours per month, more than 30 days' notice may be required to secure a slot. No tours will be given on weekends or federal holidays. Tours are free of charge.

Are there age restrictions?
The minimum age for a tour attendee is 10-years-old. For participants under age 18, a general talent release
 DD Form 2830 must be filled out and returned to the 403rd Wing Public Affairs office prior to the tour. This form is to allow 403rd public affairs Reservists to take pictures, use the name of and/or voice of an infant or minor child for official government publications. 

Are there other stops in addition to 403rd Wing activities? 
If you would like to tour Keesler Air Force Base's training mission or their facilities, please contact the 81st Training Wing Public Affairs Office at 228-377-2783 for more information about their mission and possibility of scheduling a tour.

Can I bring my camera on the tour?
Cameras are allowed on the tour; however, there are some restrictions. Your tour guide will inform you of these restrictions.

Does the 403rd Wing provide transportation for base tours?
No. Tour groups must provide their own transportation, which is limited to one busload.

How do I request/schedule a tour?
Groups requesting a tour must submit requests here or complete this Tour Request Form and e-mail it to the 403rd Public Affairs Office. Tour requests must be submitted no later than 30 days prior to the date of the tour. Requests must be submitted through the 403rd Wing Public Affairs Office and are accepted up to six months in advance. Tours are coordinated one month in advance. A particular day of the week may be requested for the tour, but there is no guarantee that a tour will be available on that day until your tour is confirmed. No tours will be given on weekends or federal holidays. Tours are free of charge. Please note tours may be subject to last-minute cancellations due to mission requirements. Modified tours may be granted to those with limited mobility. However, this must be stated on the request. If not stated, it is assumed that walking and stair climbing is not an issue. We will review your request and notify you as soon as possible.

How many people do we need to schedule a tour?
The minimum number of people to schedule a tour is 20. The maximum number of people allowed on a tour is 40. Please consider inviting a speaker from our Speaker's Bureau program for groups in excess of 40.

How much notification do we need to give to schedule a tour?
Tours must be scheduled a minimum of 30 days prior to the desired date of the tour.

What does a tour consist of?
Tours start at 9 a.m. and are scheduled for a maximum of 3 hours. Tours of the 403rd Wing may include any of the various organizations on base to include static displays and demonstrations, however, no particular activities can be guaranteed. Every effort will be made to honor your request but, ultimately, we work around our daily operations schedule. If mission dictates, a tour may be cancelled at any time, without notice. There will be no substitutions during these cases.

What kind of vehicle should we use?
Groups are responsible for transportation large enough to carry the entire group and a tour guide.  Please confirm vehicles used and directions to the White Avenue, Meadows or Pass Road Gate prior to arrival. The Public Affairs representative will confirm which gate they will meet the group at the week prior to the tour.

When can I schedule a tour?
Call the 403rd Wing Public Affairs Office at 228-377-2056 to schedule a tour. No tours will be conducted to the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron during Hurricane Season, which is June 1-Nov. 30, due to mission requirements. There are no tours during weekends or holidays. 

Driving directions address to Keesler Visitor Center is 1 Tingle Street, Biloxi, Miss 39534.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM I-10:

  1. From I-10 turn onto I-110 South. 
  2. From I-110 South, approximately 4.1 miles, take exit 1C onto Division Street
  3. Turn right onto Division Street
  4. Stay on Division Street until you reach the roundabout
  5. Take the second exit off of the roundabout for the Keesler main gate to get to the Keesler Visitor Center.

---------------------------------------------------------------

DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM Gulfport/Biloxi AIRPORT: 

  1. Turn left onto Airport Road. 
  2. Turn right onto US-49 North. 
  3. From US-49 approximately 0.6 miles merge onto I-10 east toward BILOXI/ MOBILE. 
  4. From I-10 approximately 12 miles turn onto I-110 South. 
  5. From I-110 South, approximately 4.1 miles, take exit 1C onto Division Street
  6. Turn right onto Division Street
  7. Stay on Division Street until you reach the roundabout
  8. Take the second exit off of the roundabout for the Keesler main gate to get to the Keesler Visitor Center.

 

 Employment

How can I find information about civilian employment?

All job openings on Keesler AFB are posted on the OPM website - https://www.usajobs.gov or on the Air Force Civilian Employment website https://www.arpc.afrc.af.mil. For Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) positions at Keesler, please call 228-377-9055, you will get a recording with job openings and instructions on how to apply for the openings. If you would like to speak with an individual at NAF please call 228-377-9032.

 

 Flight Requests

How can I get a flight on a C-130 aircraft?

If you are retired military, active duty or another qualifying individual, see the instructions under the Space Available Travel topic.

Members of the general public cannot fly on board military aircraft participating in their missions, such as aerial combat delivery or hurricane hunting missions. 

Working members of the media are encouraged to read the Media Topics FAQ.
 Joining the Air Force Reserve

How do I join the Air Force Reserve?

For general inquiries on joining the Air Force Reserve, visit the following website: https://afreserve.com. If you would like information on how to join the Air Force Reserve 403rd Wing, contact a recruiter at 228-377-5236.

 Keesler Air Show

Will Keesler Air Force Base have an air show this year?

The 403rd Wing participates in any air shows hosted by the 81st Training Wing and Keesler Air Force Base, but does not schedule or host these events. See the 81st Training Wing public web site at  www.keesler.af.mil for updated air show information.
 Media Topics

I am a working print or broadcast journalist, how do I get a flight with the Hurricane Hunters?

If you're a bona-fide member of the media, you must first get into the media pool for permission to fly on one of our storm missions. Call our 403rd Wing Public Affairs office at (228) 377-2056 during normal office hours (8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time).  Please call as soon as possible, because our flights fill up fast--especially when the storm approaches land. We can take up to three media outlets at a time. Please limit the number of people you send to two. If you'd like to film on a training (non-storm) flight before or after hurricane season, please allow up to 30 days to coordinate permission.

 

I have been notified that I have a flight scheduled with the Hurricane Hunters or Flying Jennies, what equipment should I bring?

Bring plenty of spare batteries. We do not have a power source to recharge on the aircraft. 

If recording sound, consider a small remote (peanut or lapel) microphone which can be placed inside your headset (we'll loan a headset, which you may need to share). It's about 110 decibels inside the plane, and the headset is about the only way to be heard and understood. A hand-held microphone works well for you to provide commentary without interrupting the crew. A camera-mounted microphone doesn't work as well as a hand-held microphone. 

If you're lucky enough to fly into a well-formed hurricane eye, (most do not show the "stadium effect"), a wide-angle lens works well. Some excellent video has been taken with a Go Pro against a window (with a suction cup). 

Some polarizing lenses pick up interference from our windows, so look out for the "rainbows". 

Radio-transmitting (wireless) microphone systems have been known to fail inflight, possibly due to interference with aircraft radios. We suggest using or at least bringing cables. 

Please be aware that if any of your equipment interferes with the aircraft' s electronic systems, you'll be advised to stop operation. 

 
 Military Service Records

How can I obtain military records?

The individual military departments do NOT maintain files or records pertaining to individuals no longer on active duty. When an individual is separated from military service (because of retirement, discharge from active duty, or death) his/her Field Personnel File (containing all military and health records) is forwarded for storage to the National Personnel Records Center (Military), 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63172. The Records Center is under the jurisdiction of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) of the U.S. Government. Their web site is http://www.archives.gov/research_room/obtain_copies/veterans_service_records.html. 

An individual's complete service record is available to the former service member or, if deceased, to his/her next of kin (parents, spouse, or children). Limited information (such as dates of service, awards, and training) is available to anyone. Not available to the general public is information which would invade an individual's privacy, such as medical records, Social Security number, or present address. 

The St. Louis Center receives many thousands of requests for service records each week, so please be aware that there may be a lengthy delay. The St. Louis Center will process requests with greater speed and accuracy if the requester uses a Standard Form 180, "Request Pertaining to Military Records." The form is available as a Portable Document File (PDF) (Click here.). If you do not have the reader software, it is available free of charge from the company which produces it, Adobe, (Please click here)

Also, the National Personnel Records Center is working to make it easier for veterans  with computers and Internet access to obtain copies of documents from their military files. 

Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents. Other individuals with a need for documents must still complete the Standard Form 180 that can be downloaded from the online web site. 

The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records center's mailroom processing time. Also, because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur when NPRC has to ask veterans for additional information will be minimized. 

Veterans and next of kin may access this application at http://vetrecs.archives.gov

If you are having trouble downloading the form, you may request one from our office by submitting a question on this system. If you want us to send you the form, please include your name and postal address.

Standard Form 180, which contains instructions, is also available from most veterans organizations or by writing to the National Personnel Records Center. If requesting the records of a relative, a requester should mention the relationship to the former member (brother, uncle, or other). There is no charge for this service to former service members or their next of kin. For others, a nominal fee is charged for research and reproduction costs. (In this regard, files at the Records Center are maintained as historical records only and are not updated to reflect current data on the former service member.) 

Notes: 

1) Contrary to published accounts, the Department has not published a "booklet on military records," but we hope the above information will be useful. 

2) Of incidental interest for individuals compiling family histories: the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408, (telephone: 202-501-5400) provides assistance to those interested in genealogy. NARA normally charges a nominal fee for research and reproduction costs. 

 Patch Requests

How do I get Hurricane Hunter, Flying Jennies or other 403rd Wing unit patches, uniform items or other memorabilia?

The 403rd Wing is not able to provide patches, uniform items, and other forms of military memorabilia. However, several private companies exist to meet your needs. Try searching on the Internet for military memorabilia.

 Public Speaker Requests

How do I get someone from the 403rd Wing to speak to my class, community organization, etc.?

Submit presentation requests online through the PA Support page or download and fill out the speaker request form and email it to Public Affairs. Please include the dates you need a speaker, the size and type of audience and the target age group. It would also help to provide some background on the event and specific topics your group would like to hear about. If you are requesting a specific member of the unit or a person with a specific job (pilot, loadmaster, navigator, maintenance, etc.) note this in your request. Be sure to include a point of contact with a good daytime telephone number. 

All requests are accommodated based on the operational schedule of the 403rd Wing. Even when an event has been scheduled, it is possible that a speaker may have to cancel on short notice due to mission requirements.

Requests for speakers from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (Hurricane Hunters) are not possible during the hurricane season, June 1-Nov. 30. Please request a speaker from one of our other squadrons or groups during this very busy time.

 Space Available Travel

How do I get information about Space Available Travel?

Please contact Base Operations at 228-377-2120 or DSN 597-2120 for Space-A Travel information at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. 

For Space-A travelers: Keep in mind there is no guarantee you will be selected for a seat. Space-A travelers must be prepared to cover commercial travel expenses if flight schedules are changed or become unavailable to allow Space-A travel (Per DODI 4515.13, Section 4, Paragraph 4.1.a). For more information about Space A travel instructions and eligibility go to the AMC Travel Site page at https://www.amc.af.mil/AMC-Travel-Site/AMC-Space-Available-Travel-Page/

 
 USAF Aerial Support

I am interested in obtaining military aircraft for a civilian airshow. What do I need to do?

For information on obtaining military aircraft for civilian airshows or other aerial support for community events, please click here or visit the USAF Aerial Events Support web site at:  https://www.airshows.pa.hq.af.mil/PublicSite/Index.cfm?fwa=home

 World Wide Locator

I am interested in getting in contact with a buddy I used to be stationed with. Can you help?

Individuals who are trying to contact current or former members of the Air Force are encouraged to contact the World Wide Locator service located at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. The telephone number to the World Wide Locator is (210) 565-2660.